Wyrda- Father of Dragons
by Galinor
Summary: Eragon Shadeslayer travels to the new Dragon City to train the Dragon Riders. Alagaesia is unstable and soon, chaos and war erupt throughout the land. Lead Rider Eragon, is forced to come back to save the land and his friends. Meanwhile, a new threat rises in Alagaesia, one that could potentially be dangerous enough to destroy all their efforts. Romance, Dragons, Battles and Magic
1. Chapter 1: To the Unknown

A dragon's roar interrupted the monotonous sound of the oars creaking and the water splashing as the elves paddled their way to the homeland of the Dragons on board of the Talita. Eragon looked at Saphira flying in the sky, making a difficult maneuver and he wished that he was enjoying himself as much as she did, but he could not let his thoughts wonder away from Alagaesia, his homeland, and to all the people he was leaving behind. He was leaving them and he did not know when or if he was going to see them again. He thought again of Arya, Firnen, Roran and Katrina and Nasuada. He still remembered the cry of Roran as the Talita was going out of sight. He could't decipher what he said but he remembered the anguish in the voice. A tear ran down his cheek and he quickly looked away and wiped it with his hand annoyed. He wished for the hundredth time that there was another way and that perhaps he could stay in Alagaesia but he knew that there was no going back. If he was to become the leader and teacher of the new dragon riders and dragons then he should be strong and powerful and wise just as Oromis or Vrael were. He swore that he would give everything he could to learn and to teach the secrets of the riders to the dragon riders. With that thought he turned his sight away from where his homeland was quickly fading away and looked to the elves aboard the ship.

He saw Blodgharm, his blue fur shining from the light of the sun as he was talking to some of the elves at the oars as they tried to control the ship with their powerful movements, making the ship move at a fast speed. He then looked at the captain of the ship, a human named Redbeard. He smiled at the thought as he had a similar name to all the pirates in the stories he had heard of when he was little and Garrow wanted to scare him for him to go to sleep. He was shouting orders to the elves which was also funny as the elves were a lot more powerful and wiser than him. He was a tall man with tanned skin and a red face from the sun which was partially covered by a magnificent red beard. He had the air of experience though as with confident movements he turned the wheel of the ship. He had a large tattoo of a three headed sea monster on his large powerful hands. Eragon walked towards him so that he could talk with him intrigued by his appearance.

"Shadeslayer, I want to tell you again what a great honor it is to have you on board of the ship and to be helping the dragons rise again" he said with his deep bass voice.

"Captain Redbeard, the pleasure is all mine." Eragon said with a smile.

"It will surely be a story to tell to the kids. I have five of them you know. Most of them mine I think." Redbeard said with a short laugh at the end.  
Eragon laughed with him and then he asked him about where he was from. He learned that Redbeard was from Teirm and his family lived in the poor section of the city. After a polite conversation, Eragon asked the question that had been in his mind for a while.

"Do you know what this is?" he said pointing at a astrolabe, intrigued by its circular appearance and the symbols that were marked on its surface like the elvish runes in swords and in texts.

"Ah a very interesting question Shadeslayer." Redbeard said and for the next hour he went into a very elaborate explanation of its origins and how it was used. Eragon was impressed and surprised to find out that it could accurately locate where the sun was and the moon which could be quite useful in a storm.

_'__Enjoying the explanation are you? That's what you get for asking too many questions"_ Saphira told to Eragon with an amused voice.

_"__Saphira! I must learn everything I can about the ship if I am to spend the next month or two in here…or more"_ Eragon said.

"_Ofcourse little one. A wise decision. Do you want to fly with me later?"_ Saphira said with a hopeful tone.  
A big smile and a sense of happiness was all that Saphira got for an answer. Eragon excused himself from Redbeard who was still explaining the difference between the different kind of winds and how they could affect the ship's position and sails in a storm when he walked towards Cuaroc. He was standing at the middle of the ship, and Eragon was impressed by his appearance again. He was made of metal and he had the size of a Kull. He was the protector of the dragon eggs and eldunarya for more than a hundred years, a role that was passed to Eragon now that Galbatorix had died and the dragons were still vulnerable while searching for a new home. He walked towards the large figure, which reminded him of Nar Gharzvogh and he wondered if Cuaroc still remembered his days as a kull warrior. He had many questions but he did not know how to start the conversation so he waited as Cuaroc showed his neck in the manner of respect of the Kull.

"Eragon, thank you for including the Urgals and Kulls in the rider pact. There are really no words to express my gratitude."  
Eragon inclined his head but before he could answer Cuaroc continued.

"I would like to help you train the new Urgal rider with your permission. The eldunarya passed a long time training me to become their protector and I could teach some of this knowledge to the new generation of riders." Cuaroc said

"Ofcourse Cuaroc." Eragon said in a serious tone.

He then looked at the slowly fading sun and then to Blodgharm and two elves that were near him, Fael and Yasmira. Fael was a head shorter than Eragon and he had a slim build, with silver hair and a serious expression. Eragon had heard that he was a master archer. Yasmira was at Eragon's height. She was at Islanzadis age and she had brown hair and a small scar on her cheek. She had an amused look on her face and she looked happy. She was a powerful magician who was part of the twelve elves sent for his protection when he was with the Varden.

"Shadeslayer" Blodgharm said with his purring voice. Yasmira smiled at him and Fael inclined his head in a sense of respect.

"Blodgharm, Yasmira, Fael, it is an honor to have you accompany me and Saphira in this journey. Your help will be much appreciated." Eragon said, unsure of where to begin the conversation.

"The pleasure is ours Shadeslayer. It is good to help the dragons find their new home. It is the least we could do." Fael answered.

Eragon inclined his head in gratitude and then answered "As a Lead Rider, I would like to be as powerful and as better prepared for the challenges ahead and so I would like to ask you if I could spar with you, Blodgharm every day as a way of improving my skill and also practice magic with you, Yasmira and Fael if that is ok with you." Eragon asked.  
They all inclined their heads. "Tomorrow morning then." Blodgharm added.

"The elves will have to rest in a few days and I think it would be better for Saphira too to hunt as feeding a dragon with our limited provisions would not be advisable. Considering her size and…" Blodgharm said but was interrupted by Saphira.

_"__I heard that"_ she said with a roar and the elves were quick to praise her flying qualities until Saphira was satisfied with their compliments and Eragon released a short laugh.

"I will also work on restoring some of the eldunarya freed from Galbatorix. I think it would be a good idea if I did that task with the help of the elves and Umaroth and Glaedr." Eragon stated.

He then excused himself with an amused voice and then he called for Saphira. He jumped in his usual position, on the back of her neck, and he hugged her as he said  
"Time to fly, partner of my heart"

"Indeed little one." Saphira agreed and she flapped her wings gaining speed and altitude, and roaring her pleasure of being with the partner of her heart and mind to the wind, challenging all living creatures, as she kept flying to the lands beyond, to the unknown.


	2. Chapter 2: Du Skulblaka Ramr

Two months had passed since the Talita had begun its journey to the new homeland of the Dragons. Eragon was being pushed to his limits as he strived to learn everything he could from the eldunarya about important subjects of history and sciences that should broaden his knowledge and his education further and would make his task of teaching the future riders easier. The eldunarya insisted that he learned more about magical subjects that were taught only to the lead riders. Each morning he trained with Blodgharm in sword fighting and after they were done fighting, he trained at dueling with his mind with Yasmira while Fael taught him some uses of magic especially in the field of water and fire, where Eragon was especially talented. When he was done training, he would fly with Saphira for some hours exploring the land for potential destinations for the new homeland of the dragons. So far they had not found any suitable, safe place for the new Dragon city, as no location provided the necessary space and protection that were needed. Finally at the end of the day, exhausted, he would slip to his waking dreams. Eragon was beginning to feel like the journey would never end and that they would eventually have to go back as the farther away they went the harder it would be for new dragons to reach them. He wondered again for the hundredth time wether they would ever find a place to settle and call home.

"Are you ready Shadeslayer?" Blodgharm asked bringing Eragon back from his reverie. He had taken up position opposite from Eragon and he was waiting for Eragon to prepare himself for the duel. Eragon unsheathed Brisingr and raised his blade. He remembered Glaedr's advice and tried to understand Blodgharm and how he would attack. Before he could decide how to proceed, Blodgharm lunged forward with a vicious slice to Eragon's leg and Eragon had to step backwards in order to avoid an injury. He quickly counter attacked with a blow of his own to Blodgharms right side but he managed to block it with his sword, a loud noise emanating from the contact between the two blades. Eragon feinted toward Blodgharm's left arm but in mid stroke he changed directions and he hit Blodgharm on the shoulder lightly. Blodgharm then battered Eragon with a series of vicious blows that would have killed human in an instant but Eragon managed to block most of them although Blodgharm managed to hit him on the hip, the injury making it difficult and painful for him to move his right leg.

They fought for a long time trying to gain an advantage over each other and their swords became heavier until at last Blodgharm managed to hit Eragon on the right hand making Eragon drop his blade with a shout of pain. Eragon then leapt forward avoiding a blow and caught the sword with his left hand which was less tired and not injured and he attacked Blodgharm on his leg, the change of hands confusing Blogharm. Eragon then advanced to lift his sword at Blodgharms chest and neck.  
A smile appeared on Eragon's face as it was one of the few times that he had managed to win Blodgharm. Usually their duels ended with Eragon losing or with a draw. A pain on is right arm reminded him of the injury and Eragon would have sworn it was broken. The other elves watching the duel applauded Eragon and congratulated him for his win.

"Well done Shadeslayer. I am sorry for injuring your arm. I will heal it for you" Blodgharm said and with a few words in the ancient language Eragon felt the pain disappear.  
"Thank you Blodgharm." Eragon said and turned his attention to Saphira as she landed near them. A sense of happiness and eagerness washed over him.

"_What is it?_" Eragon asked impatiently.

_"__Little one. If you and Blodgharm are done trying to chop yourselves to bits I must tell you that I believe that we have finally found what we sought. I found the perfect place for the new rider city._" Saphira said excitedly and showed him a series of images.

The images showed a small valley between the two tall mountains that lied ahead of the Talita as the river passed between them, creating a small fortress which was guarded by the West and East by the mountains. In the north, Eragon could see from Saphira's memory that in the distance the river connected to a vast sea. A big smile appeared on Eragon's face as he quickly told everyone about Saphira's discovery. A loud cheer sounded by everyone on board as with renewed energy they strived to arrive at the mountains pass. Eragon climbed on his saddle and Saphira took off as they gained altitude and explored the area where the dragon city would be built. It was an enchanting view, from the top of Saphira's back as Eragon saw the fertile land, the trees that grew near the river and the enchanting view of the tall mountains, with their snow covered peaks. But most impressive of all was the large beach and the view of the calm sea, spreading until the eye could see. Eragon searched with Saphira for potential threats but he could see no one or nothing that would prevent them from settling in the area. Saphira roared her happiness to the air, the first dragon roar that would be heard in the area for the years to come, Eragon thought with a smile.

By the start of the next day, the Talita had finally travelled through the mountain pass and was in the area of the new city. The elves stopped the ship and landed in an area making camp as Eragon, Saphira and Blodgharm, Yasmira and Fael along with five more elves backtracked near the mountain pass. It was clear to the elves that if potential danger would arise, it would either travel from the north, through the sea or the south, through the pass as the mountains were too tall to pass with a vast army. As a result, it was necessary for the elves to build strong defenses in this position. The elves discussed about different possibilities, but eventually they decided to build a strong tall outpost tower that would warn of an approaching army and that could defend the dragon city in case of an attack as a first layer of defense.

After the elves took this decision, along with Eragon, they created the spells needed for the creation of the tower. Eragon proposed to help in the construction with the help of the eldunarya. The elves happily accepted, and Eragon was instructed of the spells that would be used so that he would make no mistakes that would lead to the collapse of the tower or even a fatal injury. When he was confident that he could repeat them without mistakes, he started singing in the ancient language along with the elves. The melody that was produced was heavenly according to Eragon, as the ground started shaking at first and then slowly, the rocks leapt up in the surface and the walls of the tower were slowly formed. The amount of energy needed for the spell was enormous. The stones of the tower were slowly formed into shape and then put one on top of the other, one layer of stone separated from the other with a line of mortar. The tower was grey in color and it slowly grew taller and taller. The walls were thick so that they could withstand a lot of damage and finally as the day wore on, windows and murder holes were added to the tower, as well as stairs and different levels. Finally, the tower was done and Eragon sighed with relief as he and the elves relaxed. A few of them lied on the floor exhausted. Eragon felt tired too but that did not prevent him from admiring his and the elves work as the tower now looked impressive and strong. The color of the tower had changed to bright wight, and there was a massive gate leading inside the tower, so that a dragon could fit.

Eragon wanted to rest but he needed to talk to Blodgharm about the other buildings he had planned after consulting Saphira. After a lot of thought, and with the help of the elves and the eldunarya, he decided on the list of buildings that he would need to build. The elves, with the help of Eragon created a map of where each building was to be built. This was hard work as sometimes the land was not suitable for building and so the plans of the city needed to change., but eventually the map was done and Eragon felt a relief. First in the list, was a library, where the riders could store their knowledge over the years and a meeting hall for the riders, where they could meet for important decisions regarding the order and the city. As the days passed, the elves created many buildings, among which houses, where the elves and the riders would stay and the leaders of the various races could stay if they visited.

Eragon was standing on a hill overlooking the new Dragon city, admiring the new library and houses that had been built in the space of a few days, when suddenly Blodgharm asked him.

"Shadeslayer, do you have a name for the dragon city? As Lead rider, we think it is appropriate that you decide the name." Blodgharm said and Yasmira and Fael and the other elves looked at Eragon expectantly.

Eragon stayed silent for a while as he thought of different name possibilities and consulted Saphira on the matter. He knew that the name had to be perfect, and that there would be no second chances. For a long time he stayed silent, until a name formed in his mind. Saphira nodded her head, and released a small growl and Eragon said the name of the dragon city.

"I think it should be named Du Skulblaka Ramr" (Strength-Stronghold of Dragons). He looked to the elves for their reactions and they nodded in approval, a smile appearing on their faces. It would be a long time until the city was built but the dragons had finally settled in their "stronghold".


	3. Chapter 3: Salador

A small breeze of cold air blew in the "Lions Den" as another man entered Feinster's tavern. Men were sitting in the bar and in the tables and were drinking and eating after a hard day's work and some laughter could be heard from a few tables as people said obscene stories or stories about adventures and ancient heroes. Salador always enjoyed listening to the stories and the achievements described. He also heard different rumors about the city, the governor's private life and rumors about what Eragon Shadeslayer was doing. It had been a whole year since he had left Alagaesia, and people were talking of a new dragon city somewhere in the wild. The atmosphere was dark, as the only light was from the candles on the tables and a few torches on the brick wall. Salador looked up from his table, as he was eating his stew half heartedly. He wasn't particularly hungry that afternoon, and his interests were focused more on the women of the tavern. He looked again at the woman with the blonde hair and the green eyes at the other end of the tavern, and he was thinking of the best way to approach her. He was fighting an inner battle as he was too shy to talk to the girl, but on the other hand he liked her appearance and wanted to talk to her. His heart started beating faster as he was always afraid of a rejection and the laughter that came after it. He needed to act, but before he could do anything the girl saw him looking at her and smiled. Salador smiled back and lifted his cup to the girl as he bought a drink for her from the barman. If a direct approach was not possible he could at least try to be polite.

A few moments passed and the barman gave the woman the drink as she smiled at Salador in acknowledgment. Then, as he saw this, a tall muscular man walked towards Salador and said with a heavy voice "Why are you staring at my girl and smiling at her and buying her drinks. You think you're some kind of wonder man to steal peoples girls like that? I'll give you something to smile about. When I'm done with you, you will never smile again." he said as with a quick powerful move he dragged a surprised Salador to the wall and tried to punch him in the face. Salador acted on instinct and blocked the blow, deflecting it as the man hit the wall instead with a sound of pain coming out from him. Salador punched the taller man on his stomach, but it was no use as the man was obviously a soldier. With a quick succession of punches he managed to land a punch on the mans face just as he was kicked by him on the leg. A sound of pain escaped Salador as a growing crowd of people was slowly coming towards the men chanting and giving advice to them on how to proceed. A woman could be heard protesting as she begged for them to stop but the man was clearly furious now and Salador saw with horror as he picked up a knife from the table. The man approached and with a quick succession of attacks he managed to cut Salador's hand as he punched Salador in the face, bruising his eye and making Salador's vision flicker. The man was obviously skilled with a knife, but suddenly Salador was infuriated by the cut and he grabbed a chair and slammed it with all his strength on the man breaking it. As the man staggered backwards in surprise, Salador heard a satisfying sound as a bone of the man broke. A cry of pain escaped him and then he pushed Salador on the ground, as they both dropped to the floor, the man crushing Salador with his weight as he tried to stab him with the knife, and blood dripped on Salador from the man's broken nose. The seconds passed painfully as Salador used all the strength he had as with both hands he tried to prevent the knife from descending and with small kicks he tried to hurt the man.

"Enough. There will be order in this tavern! He heard a voice shout and a sword being drawn.

"This is your last warning everyone return to your seats and you two break it up right now" he shouted and Salador felt the man's pressure on the knife weaken and the weight being dragged off him. With a curse he lifted himself up and he looked around as the people were returning to their seats and then to the man that had intervened. He was a short muscular bald man, with a brown beard and he held his sword at Salador's throat as he spoke loudly.

"You are under arrest for attacking a soldier. You don't have the right to speak, filth, so don't make the attempt. Now I've had enough of both of you ruining my day. You, get back to your station and report to your superiors." he said to the soldier. "You will be flogged for attacking a civilian." the commander said as the soldier lost his smile and looked at the bald man with surprise. He then quickly saluted and with a sour expression and a murderous look to Salador he turned and left the tavern.

"And you, attacking a soldier. What were you thinking? It's prison and the headsman for you." he said in a loud voice and Salador felt his legs lose their strength as he saw his future and imagined his head rolling away.

A shudder ran through him and he looked with surprise as he was dragged outside the building by two other soldiers and he was heading for the city's prison. He tried to shout in protest but the men punched him and ordered him to be silent and Salador could only trip and yelp as another set of painful messages entered his already bruised body. He could not believe the change in fates he had experienced. One second he was eating his meal and the next he was being dragged by two soldiers heading to a headsman! He heard as the two soldiers cursed as a large amount of people were leaving an area and Salador remembered the reason. A new dragon egg was being shown to the people for it to choose a rider. He had heard many rumors and many claims as people lied about being the new rider or being chosen. It was a funny matter and if he was not in this situation he would laugh. Apparenltly the dragon hadn't chosen someone yet and probably never would, Salador thought, at least not in his lifetime.

The soldier cursed again as he bumped on someone and that person lost her balance and dropped on the floor. With a curse she stepped up and shouted at the soldier.

"What do you think you're doing stumbling on people like a drunk dwarf on the middle of the street. Do you have any idea how precious these items are? Well they certainly cost more than your worthless head." she said as she put the bag down and she looked at her dress patting off some dirt that had stuck on her clothes as she fell. She was short at stature and had brown curly hair. She looked like a herbalist.

"Madam, I am very sorry but we are in a hurry to bring this prisoner to the headsman. Captain's orders." he said and pointed behind him but Salador had taken advantage of the only possible escape possibility and had punched the other soldier and had grabbed the bag of the woman. He knew that what he was doing was wrong, but anything was better than him losing his head. After trying to escape imprisonment he would be a wanted man, and this bag full of precious contents perhaps was enough for him to survive for a few weeks on the road. However, as he grabbed the bag, he heard a loud cracking noise coming from it. Weird, he thought, and he felt movement from the bag. Surprised he stopped and was tripped by the other soldier, losing his only chance of escape. Everyone looked at the bag with confused expressions until at last the woman shouted.

"Don't move. That is a dragon egg hatching." she said as a large round yellow cracked object rolled out of the bag and kept moving.

"A dragon egg doing what? That's impossible" Salador thought amazed.

The dragon had waited for many years in the protective barrier of it's egg. He was now being shown yet again to people, so that he could choose one of them to be his future partner of mind and soul. Throughout these years he had rejected many of them, trying to find the best possibility for the one who would be his rider.

Suddenly, he felt a man. Someone caught his attention. Could he really be the man that he would choose? The man slowly got closer. The dragon analyzed the characteristics of the man. He was a human and the dragon could see that he had many of the things he had been searching for. He was brave and clever and friendly. He was determined to be great in life and yet a great sadness and anxiety was on his mind. The man stopped in front of the egg. For a minute he paused, and then with a quick movement he grabbed the egg and started running.

The dragon had waited for a person of this man's character for many years and he was sure that this was the man that would become its rider. Suddenly, he kicked trying to break the egg, and the man stopped surprised as he was tripped to the floor. Slowly he dug with his claws at the shell of the hard egg, breaking it from inside. He felt cracks on the egg and his feet went outside of the shell as he pushed his wings trying to break the shell of the egg. Loud cracks could be heard as finally he released his body and then his head from the egg. He opened his eyes and breathed for the first time outside the protective shell of his egg. He slowly turned his neck and licked his yellow scales to clean them from the membrane of the egg. When he was satisfied, he shifted his gaze, his eyes meeting the three unknown people looking at him and the person that would become his rider.

He was a young man, of tall height, with brown curly hair. His green eyes showed an amount of surprise and wonder and his face looked bruised as if he had been fighting. He was cleanly shaved and on his face was a small cut on his lips and a big growing bruise on his left eye. The dragon showed its teeth at he three unknown people, angered that they had hurt its rider and then slowly he approached its future rider and touched him on his hand. The man yelled thinking he was being attacked but then he felt a sharp pain on his hand and then the connection being established with the dragon. The dragon puffed up some smoke in satisfaction and then growled again at the three people warning them off his new rider.  
He then slowly got near Salador and squeaked playfully at him.

Salador was surprised. He of all people was a rider. He looked at his hand, unable to believe his luck with an open mouth. Then he looked again at the small creature in front of him, as it growled protectively at the two soldiers and the woman. Eragon Shadeslayer had defeated Galbatorix with his dragon Saphira and now he, Salador was a rider too and this was his dragon. Salador the rider. He smiled at the world around him overjoyed as a small laughter escaped him. Then felt a protective feeling towards the small creature in front of him and a growing sense of hunger which was surprising as he had just eaten. He then realized that it was coming from the dragon.

He looked as the herbalist approached and in an unknown tongue, which he figured was the ancient language she said a phrase and the dragon looked at her with its smart eyes as it lowered its guard. She then ordered the two soldiers.

"Don't just stand there! We have a new rider! Such joyful news! Spread the word and get him to the palace." she said loudly and the stunned soldiers looked at her, then at Salador, and grudgingly obeyed her orders. They saluted and Salador heard one of the men say under his breath "Lucky bastard". He then tried to open way in the crowds for the new rider.

"He's right" Salador thought. I'm lucky to even be alive. All thanks to this dragon. He looked at it with wonder and then picked the dragon on his lap as the dragon made a happy squeaking noise and then hummed satisfied with the contact. He then made his way after the soldiers, a smile appearing on his face as the woman approached him. He was a rider and he could not believe his luck as he hugged his own dragon on his chest and smiled at the world around him.


	4. Chapter 4: Training

Chapter 4: Training

The sky was red and purple as the sun rose to the sky. The light coming from between the peak of the mountains gave a magical image to the new dragon city, Du Skulblaka Ramr, as it fell on the white walls of the tall library and on the shining frozen river. No sound could be heard except for the singing of the birds, and nothing moved except for the occasional animal hunting its prey. Suddenly, the form of an eagle pierced the clear morning sky as it tried to escape the dragon chasing it. The eagle flew faster with every second that passed, letting a terrified cry but it was no match for the flying skills of the dragon chasing it. The distance slowly decreased between them. The dragon opened its mouth and in a few seconds it caught the eagle between its jaws and consumed it in a few bites. As it slowly descended, it let out a victory roar which echoed over the mountains and the peaceful valley below. With a swirl and a few powerful beats from it's wings, the dragon landed near it's rider.  
Thrain was a dwarf and the first rider of his kind. He had brown eyes and a long black beard and bushy eyebrows. He was muscular, as he used to be a warrior for the clan of Durgrimst Vrenshrrgn, (the wolf warriors). Being a warrior was a very important part of being an adult of the clan, and all youths were tested before they could become warriors by hunting a Shrrgr., the large wolves that lived in the area. Thrain was wearing a red cotton shirt and a pair of old pants. On one of his strong hands, he was carrying a wooden sword and with the other, a large round shield. Above the cloth shirt, he wore a heavy metallic armor and on his head was a silver helmet shaped as a wolf, the symbol of his clan. He wore his armor, not because it was a time of war, but because as all the members of his warlike clan, he believed that he should always be prepared for a fight and he should always train in the arts of war. He was slowly making his way to his dragon and he did not seem affected by the effort of carrying his weapons as he continued his way, seemingly in deep thought. Being the first dragon rider of his race was not easy on him. He still remembered the dwarf king Orik, shaking his hand in congratulations and the looks that the dwarves council gave him when they learned the news. He had to impress them, so that all clans would accept his new position as a rider. He was concerned with his difficulty of flying with his dragon, as all his dwarven instincts told him that he was of the stone, and he had no reason to fly. Ever since he was a small child, they had told him such stories, and it was difficult for him to go against these instincts. But he also loved his dragon and wanted to please her by enjoying flying with her. He was also concerned about his difficulty with magic spells, which were so troublesome to him, but seemed to come so easily to the human and elf rider. As he walked, he was trying desperately to find solutions to these problems and so paid no attention to his surroundings. As a result, he jumped with surprise as suddenly Vincix, his orange female dragon landed right in front of him.

_"__Goodmorning Thrain._"

"_Goodmorning Vixen! I see you decided to stop showing off your hunting skills"_ he said with a wink once he recovered.

Vincix puffed some smoke from her nostrils and turned her head towards him.

_"__You should have come with me little one_" she said looking at him with her large orange eyes.

_"__No one wants a noisy warrior dwarf while hunting. It scares the prey away. And no one likes a hungry dragon"_ he said with a chuckle trying to hide his concerns behind a joke.

Vincix laughed with him and then said "I brought you some breakfast little one."  
she said dropping the rabbits she had caught near him.

"Ah rabbits! I'm as hungry as a Shrrgr! I haven't eaten anything since yesterday!Thank you" he said hugging with his small arms her large neck. "Don't tell Eragon or I'll be in trouble" he whispered.

_"__And yet you ate like a dragon yesterday"_ she said amused as she lied down on the grass waiting for him to cook and finish his meal.

Thrain woke her up half an hour later. "Come on we need to go to our lesson or we will be late" he said.

_"__Of course little one. As you were sleeping, I went through your memories of today, as Ebrithil told us. I was thinking that there is a way to counter your fear of flying, you know"_. she said.

_"__And what is that?_" he asked.

_"__This"_ she said as she grabbed him from the ground on her talons and quickly got up in the sky.

Thrain saw the ground disappearing from his feet and he felt as if at any moment he was going to fall. A urge to shout as loud as he could came to him but he suppressed it. He knew that no one could save him now. He felt his heart beating faster in his chest, and he looked at the fast disappearing ground with wide eyes. A sense of infectious happiness and amusement radiated from his dragon in his mind and he felt like laughing too at his awkward situation. He knew that he had no reason to fear as Vincix would catch him if he fell but he still felt uncomfortable with the idea. His muscles were tense and he closed his eyes, trying to not think how high in the sky he was. He heard Vincix's voice in his mind.  
_"__Relax little one, I will not let you fall."_ she said as she merged their identities. His vision changed, as he saw everything in an orange tone, and his sense of smell became stronger. He saw the trees far below, and the river as it merged itself with the wide sea. He was amazed at the view. The minutes passed, and Vincix withdrew from his mind, as Thrain realized that he was relaxed. He left out a cry as he started to enjoy the sensation of flying. Vincix answered him with a roar.  
With a swift move, Vincix landed outside the training grounds, and let go of Thrain. He struggled to stand up, his head feeling dizzy.

_"__Barzul, never do something like that again unless it's absolutely necessary"._ he said.

He stayed on the ground for a few more seconds, until the dizziness disappeared and then he saw the expression of his dragon. Maybe flying wasn't that bad after all.

_"__Oh all right! We'll fly again after the lesson."_ he said.

_"__I knew you'd see reason little one"_ Vincix said happily.

***  
The training grounds was a vast expanse of land, on the south of Du Skulblaka Ramr. Eragon had designed it with the help of the Eldunarya. It contained a small pine forest, with a lake nearby, where the students could meditate and observe the animals and fish in the lake. Near the edge of the forest was a large sparring field, where the students could spar with each other and learn to master the art of swordsmanship and other weapons. On the opposite side of the sparring field was the archery range, where the students learned archery skills and could practice their magic abilities. Eragon stood in the sparring field, as he looked at the line of students. There was Salador, the human rider whose yellow dragon was Gadaroth, Alaina, the Elven rider, who had a silver dragon named Arget. Then there was Thrain, the first dwarven rider, and his orange dragon Vincix, and Gregorbak, the kull rider, whose purple dragon was Felangud. Eragon was proud of them all. Their training was going extremely well, and he was satisfied with the amount of progress they had made. Each one of his students had his strengths and his weaknesses and each one needed a different style of teaching, which was difficult for Eragon as even after almost 7 years of teaching, he was still an inexperienced teacher. The eggs had hatched at different time intervals, which complicated things, as something that the older riders knew already, the new ones did not. First, the human and elf riders dragons had hatched, with a difference of a year and a half and then Gregorbak's dragon had hatched at the fourth year and Thrain's dragon at the fifth year. He quickly gathered his thoughts, and begun the lesson.

"Goodmorning!" he said with a loud clear voice so everyone could hear. "Today we will practice again, your swordsmanship skills, as it is a vital skill not only because you will need it in battle, but it also trains your body and your mind to react quickly to every situation. We will also practice the magic I have taught you this past week. To do this, we will split in groups, and you will fight with your wooden swords, and use magic skills, when possible. Of course, as I said, in real battle it is wise to avoid such an action, when you are dueling a magician, but what happens if your enemy deciders to use magic? Do you stop fighting and say Hey, you can't do that! In training we only use swords!" he said with a smile.

The students laughed in response as Eragon continued.

"No, you fight back, and this is why we are doing this have to be prepared for everything, because war has no rules. Now Salador, why don't you fight with Thrain and Alaina, fight with Gregorbak.".

Salador quickly went to the center of the training field, followed by Thrain. They both looked warily at each other, lifting their swords. Suddenly, Salador lunged forward with his sword in order to hit Thrain, but the dwarf easily blocked the blow with his shield and in turn tried to hit Salador on his leg. Salador's sword blocked the blow and a loud noise of metal against metal came from the colliding swords. Salador had Thrain on the defensive as he attacked quickly and efficiently, managing to hit Thrain on the shoulder. Thrain cursed and finally attacked Salador, with a quick thrust of his sword, but changed the direction at the last second, managing to hit Salador on the left knee. This, infuriated Salador, who attacked with heavy blows of his sword, and as Thrain was momentarily open, he threw a ball of water on Thrain, using magic. Thrain fell on the floor with a cry of pain, and quickly avoided Salador's blade by rolling away. He lifted himself up, and as Salador attacked, with no option left, as his sword would never be able to defend him in time, he used magic to stop the hand of Salador midair, leaving him open for attack. Quickly he took advantage of the opportunity and pressed his sword on Salador's neck. They both breathed heavily from the fight and Salador surrendered. A sound of applause came from the other students and Salador clapped Thrain on the back.

"That was well fought. I wasn't expecting the last move." he said with a smile.

Eragon congratulated both of them for their effort.

"You fought well today, Thrain. You have improved a lot. The last move was a bit risky, but it worked. Just remember, take advantage of your enemy's weaknesses. And don't do risky moves like throwing your sword or stopping a blade mid air, unless it's absolutely necessary. It might cost you your life."

"Yes, Ebrithil" Thrain said respectfully.

"Salador, that was a very good fight, you could have won. Remember to not let your emotions cloud your judgement in the fight. You need to be able to think clearly and strategically to win. Use the meditation technique, we practice every morning. Clear your mind of everything else. Think only of the fight ahead next time. Wait for the perfect opportunity and strike without second thought.". Eragon said. "Now it is time for the next pair".

Alaina and Gregorbak stepped into the field as the others watched from the sides. It would certainly be an interesting fight, a elf against a kull. Eragon looked at them both, Gregorbak, with his massive arms and long horns, that reminded him of Nar Garzvogh. was holding a longer sword than usual, to match his tremendous height. He, like Thrain was the first rider of his kind. He remembered the difficulty his dragon had at lifting him, which required a series of lessons from Saphira that made the dragon lift massive rocks to strengthen him enough to be able to carry a Kull on its back. He then looked at Alaina. She, like all members of her kind was beautiful and kind. She had shining blue eyes and long brown hair. She had an athletic build and she wore a silver tunic, to match her dragon's scales. All in all, she reminded Eragon of Arya, only she seemed happier and more open than her.

The battle took a long time. The two opponents were wary and skilled in the art of swordsmanship. They were dancing, avoiding the blows of each other and attacking or defending themselves giving many injuries to each had the speed of an elf to help her, but Gregorbak had the strength of a Kull, and every hit needed Alaina to use both hands to be able to block the blows. Gregorbak attacked with ferocity, trying to hit Alaina on her shoulder but Alaina quickly ducked out of the way and with two quick moves, she hit Gregorbak first in the leg and then on the chest. Gregorbak tried to respond, but Alaina raised a shield wall from the earth and the blade hit that instead. With a curse, Gregorbak tried to use a ball of flame to knock Alaina down on the ground, but with a spell, it passed harmlessly around her. With a quick attack, she hit his left shoulder. A grunt of pain escaped him and she quickly tripped him on the ground using the full strength of her body and put her sword on his neck.

Gregorbak stood up and lifted his chin in the manner of respect first to Alaina and then to Eragon.

"Congratulations, that was very well fought" Eragon said surprised. "I am proud of all of you, for the effort you made today. You all did very well." he said. "The winners, can be happy today, but tomorrow they will face me in battle" he said with a smile. "You can go rest now. It is well deserved", Eragon said looking at all of them. He smiled at Salador and Alaina, who looked at each other for a bit longer.

Eragon looked at the sky as the sun slowly descended and at the returning dragons. They all roared and Eragon smiled with the sound. He wished Garrow and Brom were there to see him training dragon riders. He wondered what Roran, Katrina and Ismira were doing. How Nasuada was doing, but most importantly, what Arya was doing. At the thought of Arya, his heart started beating faster and he stared into the distant sea, as if he could see Alagaesia.


	5. Chapter 5: Carvahall

Roran Stronghammer, Lord of Carvahall, brother of Eragon Shadeslayer, stood outside the great city, on the mountain called the Spine. The ground was covered with snow, and everywhere he looked, he could see the snow falling from the sky, covering the trees, and forming a thick layer on the roofs of the houses of Carvahall. From where he stood, he could see the great city below him, and he was surprised as he remembered the small village it had been before. The town had been rebuilt from the ruins it had been only a few years ago, because of the refusal of the villagers to obey to the rule of the oath breaker king, Galbatorix. Carvahall was now the center of trade and the biggest city in the area. The people had built a strong stone wall around the city, with the help of the dwarves, and there were strong watchtowers in the four corners of the city, in order to be able to spot any danger from a few miles away. The city was built in the style of Teirm, where the poor houses were on the lower level, and as the level of the ground increased, so did the quality of the houses. A large market place occupied a large area of the city, as it had become a center for trade in the area, and one could hear the shout of merchants shouting for the quality of their products to whoever passed near their stand. There was everything a person could ever need, from sweets to fruits, to meat and clothing and even in some cases jewelry and strange artifacts. In the center of the city, there were many government buildings, such as the meeting hall and also, a large castle with thick surrounding walls, and great towers. It gave the city a sense of impenetrability, as it was bigger than any other building in the city and it looked strong and hard to conquer.

"Daddy, daddy!" he heard a girl shout and he quickly turned around to see his daughter Ismira running towards him. He looked at her as if he was looking at her for the first time, and he remembered the little baby she had been a few years ago. Now, in front of him, was a small girl of eight years old, with long brown-red hair, and brown eyes. She had a wide mischievous grin as she ran towards him chased by her brother Garrow. She wore a nice green dress and she ran behind Roran with as scream.

"Save me" she shouted as Garrow came running behind her angry. He was two years younger than Ismira, at only 6 years old, but he already looked like his father and he had the attitude of his grandfather. He had brown hair and brown eyes like Roran, and he had a red face at a barely contained anger. He wore nice rich red clothes, and brown trousers. At his hands, he carried some snow and he was ready to throw it at his sister at the first opportunity.

"Give me back my toy!" he shouted at Ismira trying to chase her but his father was blocking the way.

"Easy now, little fella" Roran said catching him." Ismira, give back his toy". he told her with a sigh.

"I don't have it!" she said. It was true, she didn't have it with her at the moment. But she knew where it was, or better where she had hid it she thought as she tried to contain a smile.

"Liar!" Garrow shouted. "You took it from me when I was talking to Hope." he said with a shout. Tears came to his eyes as he ran away, ashamed. Hope was Horst's and Elain's daughter

Roran sighed again. His two kids were always fighting about something. In a way, he felt as if he was still in a war, only this time, he had to try to make peace between the two sides. He thought of his wife Katrina as his heart started beating faster. He wondered how she managed to always remain calm, at these situations. He knew that Ismira was jealous of Garrow, and she tried her best to make his life a misery by hiding his toys or taking them or even breaking them once. He would have to find a way to comfort his son later in the day. He had an idea, that involved Snowfire, the horse Eragon had given him. He wondered what Eragon was doing at the moment. He had talked to him only a few times since the dragon city started getting built and all he had heard were vague rumors in the Carvahall inn.  
His thoughts were interrupted as suddenly someone came running towards him, shouting his name.  
"Lord Stronghammer!" the man shouted, and as Roran turned, he saw it was Baldor.  
"Baldor! How many times do I have to tell you to call me by my name?" Roran asked.

"At least once more" Baldor answered with a smile and a short laugh. "High Queen Nasuada wants to talk to you, about something important." he continued panting slightly, as he was still trying to catch his breath.

"I'll be there in a moment." he said as he quickly started walking towards the city. His guards followed in his steps, protecting him from any unwanted attacks. It never hurt to be careful. The country was still trying to recover from the war against Galbatorix, and there were still people who resented Nasuada's rule and who thought she was not a legitimate queen. This made him vulnerable to attack, which deemed the protecting guards a necessary precaution.

A few minutes later, he passed the great market of Carvahall, which was full of the citizens of the city, buying their food, or drinking or shouting their wares, and he turned to a big road, leading to the high, strong castle. He passed the gates, as the guards lifted their weapons to clear the way and saluted him. The massive gates opened, and he quickly made his way to his room, where Nasuada was waiting for him to talk to her. The guards stopped at the door, and arranged themselves in a protective stance, waiting for him. The room, was richly decorated. Roran looked at the large bed, with it's comfortable mattress and he wished that he had time to sleep, but it was still early in the day, and he should not seem a lazy ruler. He sighed, as he then looked at the large fireplace, where a big fire was lit, warming the room from the biting outside cold. There were two armchairs on the left side of the fireplace, with a table in the middle, so that two people could talk, and have drinks at the same time. On the left side of the fireplace was his desk, which was currently filled with books, papers, and lists and maps. He would have to clean it up later or he would never hear the end of it from Katrina, he thought with a smile. The mirror was placed near his desk, so Roran sat on his chair as he greeted Queen Nasuada.

"Queen Nasuada! It is a pleasure to see you" he said politely, trying to open the conversation. She was wearing a long green dress, over her dark skin, and her hair were tied behind her back. On her ear, she wore two beautiful diamond earrings and on her head, he could see the magnificent gold and diamond crown, the elves had helped build after the war. Her eyes looked at him curiously. She was sitting on the throne, and she had an impressive overall look.

"Lord Roran, it is a pleasure to see you are well. I trust everything is well with your family?". she asked.

"Yes, your highness. Everything is fine…except for the fights of small children." he said and Nasuada smiled seeming to understand his situation.

"How are things at the capital?" he asked curiously. The distance was big, and he could never trust the stories of travelers as they were always exaggerated or fake.

"All is well, Roran. Things are moving at a quick pace. We are doing our best to finish all the construction for the Olympic Games that will happen in a few weeks time. In fact, I wanted to discuss with you some things about the event." Nasuada said with a smile.

"Ofcourse your highness. But what could I do to help? I do not have the funds to help with construction of the stadiums…"he said trying to think of a reason Nasuada wanted to talk to him.

"I understand Roran. You see, as you know, the situation in the country is still not good. We are still, after all these years, trying to recover from the war against Galbatorix. As you know, there were rebellions after the end of the war, people trying to take advantage of our weakness in government to get the rule of the country for themselves. The biggest of all, was the one led by Tharros the Quick, but after many months and many battles, he was defeated, and punished. You were there during his execution." she said sighing, as Roran remembered, the soldier he had met at the siege of Aroughs. He was a brave man, Roran thought.

"Still, there are people who resent my rule and who think they should take my place. It is this reason, I want to ask you to come to the capital for the Olympic Games. As a war hero, it would be good to have you in the stadium, not only for reasons of security, as you are an experienced commander, but also I think it would be good for the people to see you compete at the games. We are organizing the event after all, after Eragon's idea, and it would be a shame if we had no one to represent us, participating in the games." she said passionately.

"I see your concern your majesty. If you deem it necessary for me to be there, then I will be present at the games. May I ask, what sports will there be?" Roran asked, still anxious about him having to compete in the games.

"There's certainly going to be a sword and archery competition, as well as fighting. And also, there will be a chariot race, and a knight tournament" Nasauda answered, distracted by her thoughts as she was still trying to arrange the details for each sport in her mind.

"I see. Is there anything else you wanted to talk to me about?" Roran asked.

"Just be careful Roran." Nasuada said and with a signal from her hand, the image was lost, as the magician stopped the conversation.

Roran looked at the mirror for a few seconds, deep in his thoughts. He looked around the room and wished Katrina was there, but she was probably busy doing something else. His eyes stopped on the bookshelf near his bed, where he kept his favorite book. Maybe he had time to read a bit before he packed his things to get ready for the big trip, he thought. He opened the book and started reading the first page when he was interrupted by a loud scream and a boys voice yelling from the floor below. His son and daughter were fighting again, and he needed to restore peace. A sigh escaped him, as he closed his book again and put it in its place. He ran downstairs, followed by his guards, to prevent a further fight. The Olympic Games had not yet started but Garrow and Ismira would certainly get a gold medal in fighting he thought amused.


	6. Chapter 6: Hate

King Orrin was sitting inside his room in the castle of Belatona. He was wearing his golden crown, passed down from generation to generation on top of his dark brown hair. He wore warm rich red clothes to protect him from the cold. He had left Aberon a few weeks earlier, and arrived the day before. He had his hand on his chin as he was thinking, and lightly scratched a scar he had gained on his cheek during the war with Galbatorix. As king of Surda, he was a guest for the Olympic games that would start in the following day. After many years of careful preparation and planning, Eragon's idea was finally going to become a reality. Among other things, a new giant stadium that could fit almost sixty thousand people had been built inside the city, as well as a great road leading to the stadium. Also, in preparation for the Olympic games and the many people that would attend the event, many houses had been rebuilt and decorated preparing for the celebration. The most anticipated event was the opening ceremony of the games, where the representatives of the Humans, Urgals, elves and dwarves would march inside the stadium.  
King Orrin had attended many meetings with High Queen Nasuada to prepare for the event. He had just finished with one such tedious meeting and he felt a great hatred for Nasuada. Not only was he not treated as an equal to her position in the meetings, as Nasuada ordered him to do certain things for the preparation of the Games, such as making sure that all the guests would arrive safely and arranging their accommodations inside the city. He could still see the sneers and ironic responses of Nasuada's vassals when he offered his opinion on some matters as if his opinion was insignificant. He had not been respected after the end of the war with Galbatorix. The Varden should be thanking the Surdans for helping them in the war, and for providing them hospitality while Galbatorix was still in power, but the Varden and Nasuada got all the glory for the victory. No one remembered the Surdans and the things they sacrificed for them to win the war. Everyone treated him like he was inferior, even Nasuada's allies, the dwarf king Orik and the elf queen, Arya. They never consulted him for important matters and only talked with High Queen Nasuada as if he did not have a say in the matters involving his own Kingdom. He had been cheated from his fair share of the spoils of war, by Nasuada. She had taken the position of High Queen and she had taken most of the important cities of the empire, leaving him only with the cities of Feinster, Melian and Furnost. Of course these cities were important but they were not as big or not as great as Dras Leona or Belatona. He felt that the Surdans deserved more than these three cities for their effort.  
Finally, he did not agree with most of the policies Nasuada tried to implement, but instead of following his advice, Nasuada just ignored him and did whatever she thought was best. A fresh wave of hatred filled him for Nasuada and he needed to release it on something or someone. He grabbed his empty bottle of wine and threw it on the wall with all his might, a satisfying breaking noise being heard. Shards of glass filled the floor, but he still felt the hatred inside him. He wished the wine bottle had been Nasuada's head. That would be more satisfying he thought, and he would never again have to follow her orders or have to suffer her subject's laughs. He would make sure that they were all punished. He needed to act against Nasuada and he had known it for many years now. After very careful thought, assessing the advantages and disadvantages, he had created a plan and if all went well, the next day would see the end of Nasuada's reign and the start of his dynasty.

"How will I manage to do it though?" he wondered aloud. A growing sense of worry filled him that if anything went wrong, then he would be forced by his enemies to abdicate the throne of Surda and he would be killed as a traitor, just as Tharros the Quick had been killed a few months before. He would never let that happen. He had to make sure that everything went according to plan.

"Norson!" he shouted to his advisor to come to his room immediately.

The door opened and Norson, along with two muscular soldiers entered the room and looked at the remains of the broken wine bottle. Norson was a tall blonde man with a short beard. He wore rich purple clothes and on his neck was a golden necklace with a gem.

"Your Highness. How can I help you?" he asked carefully. He understood that King Orrin was not in the best of moods and he had to leave the room as soon as he could.

"Is everything ready for tomorrow? Is the army in position? Remember. Speed is everything if we want to survive the war." Orrin said.

"Yes, your highness." Norson replied with a bow.

"What about what I asked you yesterday?. Did you capture the man?" King Orrin asked impatiently.

"My lord…My men and I tried to corner him but he ran and managed to escape inside the busy marketplace." Norson reported.

"I see…Do you think he knows why we are chasing him?" King Orrin asked. He felt a great annoyance and his sense of hate came back to him stronger than ever.

"No my Lord." Norson said with conviction.

"You know Norson… You have greatly disappointed me with this. You realize how important this is to me and for the plan do you not?" King Orrin asked his eyes looking straight at Norson.

"O-Ofcourse m-my lord" Norson said gulping.

" And yet, you dare show your face with empty hands! I cannot tolerate incompetence within my ranks!." he shouted and with a quick motion and before Norson could react, he grabbed his hidden knife and cut Norson's throat. Norson staggered backwards a few steps, and collapsed on the floor, a pool of blood around him.

The two soldiers that had come with him looked at his limp body.

"You!" Orrin said pointing the bloody knife at one of the soldiers. "What is your name?" he asked.

"Malik my lord". he said was a tall muscular man with many scars. He had a tattoo of a tiger on his  
huge arm. He had a short black beard, and he wore a thick dark armor.

"You need to capture Farica's husband tonight. Do not disappoint me! Let Farica know that if she does not comply, her husband will be dead by tomorrow morning. And get this filth out of the room" King Orrin said pointing at the dead body lying in the pool of blood.

"Yes sir! Right away, sir!" Malik saluted and turned to leave the room along with his fellow soldier, dragging the dead Norson on the floor.

King Orrin was left alone in the room again. He was confident that Malik would not disappoint him. This was an important part of the plan. He imagined Nasuada imprisoned or even dead and he started to feel better. He sat on his desk, with a sigh. He had planned this for many years and this was only the first step. He waited for the return of Malik, all the while making sure his plan would work, the seconds passing agonizingly slow.


	7. Chapter 7: Olympic Games

Sixty thousand people in the crowd cheered their approval to the representatives of each race, as they marched inside the center of the new stadium of Belatona. The sky was clear and the weather was perfect for the competitions that would follow. Some of the athletes were already sweating from the heat of the morning sun and the anxiety of winning. The humans shouted and whistled as they sang songs and drunk beer from their mugs. Some of the men were drunk already, making a fool of themselves, laughing and telling bad jokes to everyone in earshot. A child looked at admiration at the athletes as his father lifted him on his soldiers for him to be able to see over the crowd. The women discussed with each other and commented the athletes, discussing who was the most good looking and laughing among themselves.

The dwarves stamped their feet and drunk their beers from their mugs as they sung songs and danced with each other. They looked in amazement at the sheer size of the stadium and the number of people that was in it. They cheered for the dwarves athletes.

The Urgals all gave scary war cries and praised their God of War and the Godess of Victrory to help them in this important day to win over the other races. This attracted many worried glances from the crowd around them but they were quickly ignored as a beautiful song was heard.

There were few elves in the crowd. They cheered their athletes and laughed too as they discussed with each other how many victories they would have. A elf woman was singing a beautiful song and everyone stopped what they were doing to listen to the beautiful melody. When she was halfway through the song the crowd cheered her and sang with her.

There were people selling food and drinks, and elves selling a special drink called Faelnirv. It was a very strong drink served only in the most special of occasions buy the elves as they informed the humans who did not know what it was. A man in the crowd was breathing fire from his mouth, a large crowd around him cheering him on, as they put money on a bucket he had on the floor. A few meters away, was a man swallowing swords. It was an extraordinary sight and many people were amazed and even looked with open mouths at him. When he was done, they clapped and gave him a beer.

On the upper level of the stadium, was where the most important people of Alagaesia sat. On this platform, was the throne, where High Queen Nasuada would sit and watch the games. Near her, was a throne for Arya, and on the left side a large empty space, where her green dragon Firnen could sit. Arya looked at the proceedings with curiosity, talking with Firnen. Next to her, Orik, king of the dwarves, sat thoughtfully. King Orrin was sitting a few meters away, with a big smile on his face. Roran Stronghammer was there too, with his wife Katrina, holding little Garrow on his arms, as Ismira looked on with jealousy in her eyes.

Trumpets were heard and a lonely slim figure entered the stadium. She wore a Green dress over her black skin and her hair was well combed and tied. The crowd grew silent as they wanted to hear what their queen would say.

"People of the Empire! It is an honor to be here and be able to announce this event to you. Many years ago, the hero, Eragon Shadeslayer met with me and told me of his dream that one day the people of the land could compete against each other in peace and not in bloodshed. That they could live together and be happy together, in a great event. I came here today, and I saw what he saw, in his vision, so many years ago. The day he dreamt of is today! Today we write history! I hereby declare the start of the First Olympic Games in Alagaesia" she shouted with all her might and the crowd cheered and whistled.

First started the sword fighting competition. There were many participants from all races. Clearly, the elves had the advantage because of their speed and strength, but the Kull warriors were also very strong. People started betting on who the winner of the matches would be. They bet larger and larger sums of money and clearly, Nasuada could see that many fortunes would be made and lost this day. Most matches did not take long to finish, but some, especially the ones between elves or humans lasted for more than half an hour. At the end, there were only four participants remaining. Vanir, the elf ambassador, another elf named Dathedr, a human named Lortas and a Kull named Velsus.

Nasuada looked at the four participants with interest. Lortas would fight with Vanir and Velsus with Dathedr. She called a man taking the bets and said loudly.

"I think I will bet some gold on Lortas. And some more on Velsus." she said taking a few gold coins from her pouch. The man accepted the coins with great care, avoiding eye contact.

"Your highness. I will place the bet immediately." he answered and ran to be able to get in time, before the match began.

Vanir stretched his legs one more time. He looked at the human he was about to fight. He was confident he could win the match, without too much effort. The human lunged forward and with a quick motion, taking advantage of his speed, Vanir took a step sideways, avowing the blow. With a quick motion of his hand, he tried to hit Lortas on his back, but at the last moment Lortas managed to block the blow. Lortas counter attacked and with a swing he pretended a hit on Vanir's left but suddenlly changed direction. He managed to hit Vanir on his hand.

"Aaah" the crowd watching said as they watched the struggle.

Vanir was angered by the hit and with a series of quick blows, he had Lortas on the defensive. Somehow, the human managed to block his blows and Vanir was impressed by his skill. Vanir avoided another slow counter attack, as the human started to tire, and with a rush, he grabbed the human and with his leg tripped him on the floor.

"Oooh" the crowd cheered surprised.

With a quick motion, before Lortas could roll away, Vanir pointed his sword on his neck.

The crowd cheered and shouted his name. Vanir had to admit, it was a difficult fight. He gave his hand to the still lying human, and he accepted it.

Near them, Dathedr was still fighting with the Kull warrior Velsus. Mighty blows were exchanged on both sides, that could easily kill a human. Dathedr was taunting Velsus, trying to anger him, to make him lose his concentration. Velsus ignored him and waited for him to attack. Dathedr lost patience and with a quick attack, he managed to hit Velsus on the leg. The kull shouted in pain, but with a quick motion of his sword, he stopped his blade, a few inches away from Dathedr's neck.

Vanir looked with his mouth open. He was surprised the Kull had won Lord Dathedr.

The final of the sword fighting competition had arrived, and it was him against Velsus. The Urgals cheered for Velsus along with half the stadium, while the other half cheered for him. He felt his heart beating with anxiety. He wanted to win this competition.

He slowly walked to the centre of the stadium, as did Velsus. They looked at each other for a while, and the Vanir lunged forward and attacked the Kull. His blow was blocked easily, and the kull tried to come closer to attack. Vanir knew that he had to stay away and had to take advantage of his faster skills as the kull was as strong as him, maybe even stronger. He quickly attacked again, on the Kull's right side and rolled on the ground, avoiding the blade coming his way, He lifted himself up and attacked the Kull on his left side. He continued this way for quite some time, the Kull taking one blow after the other and Vanir trying his best to not get too tired. Finally, in frustration, Vanir shouted in rage and attacked the kull, locking their blades. He punched the Kull's stomach and with a quick motion of his sword, injured the kill's hand making him drop his sword. Before the kull could react, Vanir lifted his sword at the kulls heart.

The crowd cheered their approval at Vanir's victory. "Vanir, Vanir" they shouted.

The athletes of the archery competition were also almost over, as Mandel, the villager from Carvahall was antagonizing an elf for the win.

On the other side of the stadium, the fighting competition was taking place. Roran Stronghammer, the hero of Carvahall was fighting an elf named Aragost and a huge muscular human that looked like a giant named Alarik was fighting a Kull named Borgas.

Roran tried to avoid a punch coming his way, and managed to do so, but the elf was too fast for him. Roran was frustrated as every attempt he made to hit the elf, he managed to avoid it with his speed. Roran knew he could not win the elf in the fight. He knew that he needed to do something risky to have chance at hitting him. The elf tried another punch and Roran let it through his defense, and it connected to Roran's stomach. However, this time the elf had no time to avoid his blow and he managed to punch the elf on the face and then with a push they both fell on the ground. A cheer erupted form the crowd, clearly wanting Roran to win the fight. They struggled for an advantage against each other and finally, Aragost, managed to lock Roran's shoulder. Roran realized that if he did not yield, Aragost would break it. He extended his hand and slapped the ground, yielding the fight.

The elf immediately stopped and lifted his hands in celebration. Roran congratulated him and then walked stiffly towards the crowd. He looked at the other pair and saw that Alarik and Borgas also had fallen to the ground. Alarik was punching the Kull, with all his strength on his horns, and the kull was trying to pull the shoulder of Alarik, which he had locked on a hold. Finally, with a sudden movement, Alarik grabbed the kill's neck and pressed, as the kull submitted.

Alarik looked at Roran, with a smile and Roran nodded towards him. He had not met him in person but he was impressed by Alarik's strength.

From the stands, Nasuada watched as Alarik now fought the elf. She was impressed by their speed and technique. She had bet that the elf would win the fight but Alarik had shown he was a tough opponent.

"My Lady, please excuse my intrusion and follow me. I would like to discuss with you an important personal matter. " Farica said with a trembling voice, whispering in Nasuada's ear.

"Of course Farica. What is it?" she said with concern as she lifted herself from the throne and followed her quick pace. She had noticed that something was off with her handmaiden that day and she began to worry it was something serious. She had grown a liking to the woman as she was one of the few people who had stood with her and taken care of her in the hard times of the war against Galbatorix. Farica kept walking for a while, and then turned and entered a to a somewhat secluded room, that led to the stairs for exiting the stadium. She entered the room, and her twelve nighthawks and Jormundur followed her inside.

Farica suddenly stopped and Nasuada almost fell on her. They were not alone in the room. A muscular man was blocking their way. He was a tall muscular scarred man with dark armor. Near him, were six more soldiers inside the room. Sensing danger, Nasuada hid on the side of the room, her back on the wall. She narrowly avoided a dagger that was thrown towards her, which instead buried itself on the throat of one of the Nighthawks that was behind her. The man died instantly, collapsing on the floor. The rest of the Nighthawks, drew their swords and ran to protect their queen from the attack of the seven men, while Jormundur shouted at her.

"My Queen! Run!" he urged her and Nasuada did so. She ran towards the door, but as she came closer, more enemy soldiers appeared from the door. They entered the room and closed the door behind them. Nasuada and the Nighthawks were trapped, their only escape route blocked by enemy were outnumbered but they would fight to the death to protect Nasuada, and fulfill their oath. A scream was heard and droplets of blood flew on Nasuada's dress as a Nighthawk managed to behead one of the enemy soldiers. He didn't have time to celebrate as with a heavy swing from his mace, the muscular man hit the Nighthawk on the head, crushing his skull. He sidestepped to avoid a blade and hit the man on his shield, breaking the man's hand. Nasuada quickly threw a dagger and saved the man from a sword, as the enemy soldier collapsed on the floor.

"To me!" she shouted and the remaining Nighthawks struggled to come near her and protect her. She could see the fear in the faces of the Nighthawks, as they knew they were fighting a losing battle. She took a sword from a fallen soldier and with it she tried to stab an enemy. The man avoided the blow and with a counter attack, he injured Nasuada on the arm.

"I want her alive!" Nasuada heard the order from the man with the dark armor.

She looked around as the Nighthawks killed and died around her faster than the eye could see. There was only one chance of escape, if they somehow managed to overpower the men blocking their way to the stairs, they could escape. Jormundur shouted for Nasuada to follow him. The desperation in his voice, made her listen to him, and she quickly followed, fighting her way through the enemy soldiers.

" On the count of three, I will overpower them and you will run as fast as you can down the stairs. Do you understand?" he asked.

Without waiting for an answer, as he blocked a blow, Jormundur shouted "one" Nasuada pressed her sword with all her strength trying to calm down " two" the seconds passed surprisingly slow, as she tried to find a clear way "three!" Jormundur shouted and took off, his shield bashing an enemy soldier, clearing a path for Nasuada. She ran and stabbed the stunned man on the neck, and continued on her way without slowing down. Jormundur blocked some blows with his shield, and sword and counter attacked stabbing a man on the stomach and chopped another man's hand off. He stabbed a third soldier, but was too slow to recover, as his sword got stuck on the man's spine. The man with the dark armor swung his sword and cut Jormundur on his shoulder, breaking the bone.

Nasuada heard Jormundur's shout of pain and she quickly dispatched of the last remaining soldier from her way to freedom. She looked back for just a second as Jormundur lifted himself up. He was infuriated, but he had lost his weapon in the confusion. He punched the man with the dark armor with all his strength on the face, but the man stabbed him first on the stomach and then on his throat. Jormundur fell on the floor dead.

"No!" Nasuada cried and as the man's eyes fell on her, she turned around quickly and descended the stairs.

"After her!" the man shouted. Six of the soldiers turned to chase Nasuada but a few remained to kill the last two remaining Nighthawks. They were quickly killed, as they were outnumbered and overpowered, but not before another man was lost.

Malik looked at the man named Jormundur. He still felt the pain on his face, where the metallic glove had hit him. His nose was bleeding from the hit. He felt anger for the man and spat on the dead body.

The Queen had escaped for now but hopefully his men would catch her before she managed to escape. King Orrin would be furious if he heard she had escaped. He hoped he would not end up like poor Norson. He looked at the dead bodies of his fellow soldiers and the Nighthawks. He had lost many men in the fight. It was a perfectly placed trap but somehow the queen had managed to escape.

He quickly turned around and walked towards the stairs, calling his soldiers to form around him. He still had many things to do to help capture the city.


	8. Chapter 8: Battle of Balatona

Hello, I would like to thank you for the reviews on the story!. I tried to follow your advice of not repeating words in the paragraphs. I also hope it is better in terms of grammar mistakes. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Waiting for your comments. Next chapter will be more evil than this one. :))

Chapter 8: Battle of Belatona

A scream interrupted the cheering crowd, watching the games, as a woman saw the soldiers coming with drawn swords and killing an unsuspecting man. The man fell on the ground dead, and the woman ran on the opposite direction, trying to save herself. The soldiers kept coming, killing anyone that was blocking their way. Panic overwhelmed the people in the stadium as they saw the soldiers coming towards them and people dying everywhere. Everyone tried to run away, to escape. They ran towards the exits disorganized, one stepping over the other, some people falling down from the weight of people pushing them to get out first, getting stepped on and killed in the process. Some people frantically looked for weapons, trying to fight back, with anything they could find. Many humans, dwarves and some Urgals, men and women and even children died in the first few minutes of the attack. The elves had a better fate, as even though they did not have weapons, as they were not allowed in the stadium, they could still use magic to block the blows form the swords of the soldiers, and defend themselves. The soldiers orders were clear, to kill as many people in the stadium as possible, wether they be humans, urgals, dwarves or elves. They did so, with brutal efficiency. A elf managed to burn two soldiers of Surda, cooking them in their armor, and stabbed another one before he was stabbed by a sword on his stomach. He fell on the ground, and every soldier of Surda stabbed him as they passed, making sure he was dead.

On the other side of the stadium, Malik and his group of soldiers quickly descended the stairs and exited the stadium. They had to make their way to the gates and open them for the army waiting outside. They had to be quick, otherwise the guards would learn of their attack and would organize a defense against them. If they managed to open the gates, then the city was already won as the Surdan soldiers would fill the city, making it impossible for Nasuada's men to defend it. He quickened his pace, shouting orders for his men to follow him, just as a dragon's roar sounded in the distance. The elven queen had obviously mounted her dragon and were killing the Surdan men. Time was working against them. It was fortunate, he thought, that the dragon had no battle experience and as a result, it would be easier to defend against it's attacks. He quickly ran the remaining of the distance, ignoring the surprised shout of a man, seeing them. Another man blocked his way, but he quickly stabbed him, without slowing his pace. Soldiers spotted them and quickly ran to defend the gate. It was too late, Malik thought. They would soon sound the alarm and their plan would fail. With a frustrated shout he stabbed at the first soldier just as he saw one of his men die from a wound. He killed another soldier, stabbing him on his stomach, and quickly blocked a blow from a sword with his shield.

"Quickly men! We don't have all day! Move your sorry lazy asses" he ordered them.

The men followed his orders, quickly killing the remaining soldiers, just as a loud sound was made, sounding the alarm. Now the whole city knew they were being attacked. He ran up the stairs, killing a man standing guard, his second in command doing the same on the other side. The two men met at the top of the stairs, covered in blood. The mechanism was inside a room. He tried to open the door but it was locked. With a curse, he kicked the door open and was stabbed by a soldier, probably the one that had sounded the alarm. He quickly beheaded the man. He spat on the dead body, and with a quick motion he heaved as he tried to move the mechanism opening the gate. He heard shouting from outside as his men were attacked by a battalion of enemy soldiers. The mechanism slowly moved with a loud sound, and the gate slowly opened. Malik exited the room and looked outside, at the view below the city walls. A few moments before, the ground was clear, and one could only see a few trees, the empty road, and a few sparse shadows, but now he could see a whole army, slowly making their way inside the city from the open gate. He sighed with relief. He had done it, but it was a close call. He looked at the city below, the first buildings catching fire, from torches being thrown at their roofs. A man came up the stairs and shouted a greeting.

"Malik! Old friend! How are you?" Qudark asked him. He was king Orrin's most powerful magician, and an old friend of his. He was wearing a black robe, and he was holding his staff with one hand as with the other he played with his long white beard. He looked tired and made his way up the steps to greet him.

"Qudark! What a pleasant surprise! You look terrible my friend!" Malik said with a wink as Qudark laughed in response.

"I thought you were an ugly bastard before, but I see I was wrong. You're even uglier now". he said pointing his staff at his bloodied broken nose. Malik grinned in response.

"My friend, the ladies would disagree." he said as Qudark chuckled. They were interrupted by a large rock, thrown by a onager that flew over their heads, almost beheading them. Malik turned his head and saw it land at a large burning building. The building collapsed on the fighting soldiers, piles of burning wood covering them.A cloud of debris filled the air, until Qudark cleaned it with a spell.

Malik turned his attention towards the city. He ran to assist his soldiers as the enemy had tried to take advantage of the confusion, throwing arrows and killing as many of them as they could. Time passed quickly, as he defended against wave after wave of soldiers, slowly going towards the center of the city. The green dragon made attacks that caused devastation in the Surdan ranks. His giant maw opened and another river of fire engulfed many of the Surdan men, cooking them in their armor. Spears were thrown at the dragon but they were blocked by the elven queen. She killed the Surdan soldiers efficiently, and the green dragon helped her by eating a soldier that was ready to stab her. The dragon, lacking battle experience, and as it was the main focus of the Surdan attacks, was injured and quickly flew away from the battlefield. Malik hoped with all his heart, the injury was fatal but he doubted it. Dragons were not easy to kill. Many urgals and elves and dwarves fought hard against them, making him lose many men in the battle before he could kill them.

He was interrupted as a soldier ran towards him and shouted.

"Sir, we believe we have the location of Queen Nasuada".

Malik turned and flowed the soldier with quick steps. It was a vital part of the plan to capture Nasuada. As King Orrin had explained, he had noticed the growing affection between Nasuada and Murtagh, the rider. This could gain them the help of Murtagh, as Murtagh would never do anything until Nasuada was safe. They were badly outnumbered with Eragon and all the other riders fighting against them and they really needed one of the most experienced riders in matters of war on their side. Also, capturing Nasuada left the Varden leaderless and as a result, easier to beat.

But first, Malik knew that he had to catch her, as she and escaped him the first time in the stadium. The soldier led him in a somewhat fortified tower, where many of the enemy soldiers had gathered. They were holding the Surdans at bay. Malik thought he saw a woman fighting among them.

"Surrender, and I will spare your men!" Malik shouted.

"Never!" came the response, as soon as he finished his sentence.

_"__Have it your way"_ Malik thought and with an order, he charged at the tower.

Men fell around him, dead, pierced by arrows. The archers got ready and shot the second volley but this time, the Surdans were prepared, with lifted shields. Malik shouted and attacked a soldier, that injured his shoulder, beheading him. A blast of fire engulfed some warriors from an enemy magician, and he saw his friend Qudark mentally fighting with a few enemy magicians. A wall collapsed and another ball of fire passed near his head and hit the wall behind him. A column of Surdan soldiers fell, by a magician's spell and Malik quickly stabbed him in the heart. He saw with the corner of his eye, the queen, killing Surdans, with a elegant long sword. He slowly made his way towards her. This time there were no nighthawks to save her, he thought. He approached with a menacing look, killing two soldiers that were on his way. He pushed a Surdan soldier away, shouting that he wanted the fight. Finally, his blade met with Nasuada's blade with a loud metallic sound. He looked at the determined face of the queen. She was a hard opponent, and managed to injure him as a involuntary shout of pain escaped him. With renewed energy and anger, he attacked at her, with his full force, Somehow, she managed to block all his blows, although he did manage to injure her on her leg, limiting her range of movement. He attacked again and this time, managed to make Nasuada fall on the ground, as she lost hold of her blade.

He knocked the pommel of his sword, on her head making her lose consciousness.

"Arrest her" he ordered his men. The tower was filled with bodies of friends and foes alike, and he hoped with all his heart Orrin would make Nasuada pay for all these people that died trying to take the city.

"Sir, people are leaving the city from the other side, elves, dwarves and the green dragon among them" a soldier informed him.

There was nothing he could do. The city was still not secured, and if they acted hastily, they could still lose everything they had paid so dearly to decided to let them leave, and secure the city. Malik just wanted the killing to be over. He wanted to celebrate the victory. He looked at the burning buildings as his soldiers killed as many enemies as possible. Buildings collapsed, people screamed in agony and death. It was the beginning of the war, and they had won the city of Belatona.


	9. Chapter 9: A Shade's Revenge

**Chapter 9: A Shade's Revenge**:

The old man groaned as he finally lifted his face from the ancient book he was reading. He closed it and put it aside on his desk as he relaxed on his creaking chair. The room he was in was a complete mess, full of half written papers, calculations, notes, and torn books. It had taken him a few years, but he had finally found yet another answer to a question he was seeking. Ever since he was a young man, finding answers to impossible questions was his goal in life. He found it extremely pleasurable when he could finally satisfy his curiosity. He smiled and laughed out loud as with a quick spell he cleaned the room of all the papers. He listened at the rain falling outside and the loud thunders. He quickly made his way outside the room as he felt an intense hunger. He had not eaten anything in days. He opened the door and was greeted by a puddle of water that had formed on the floor as small droplets of water fell from the broken ancient roof of the building. With a curse he quickly took a bucket of water and holding his back, he put it on the floor. He moved to the tower's kitchen and prepared himself a meal of meat and bread as well as a bowl of fresh fruits and vegetables from his garden as well as a mug of ale.

As he was eating, he could not help but look at the small wooden animals and was reminded of her. His daughter. He took a small wooden squirrel, then a boar and then a wooden lion in his hands and remembered how he used to watch his daughter play with them, making sounds of roars and talking. It had been a long time since that day, a long time since his daughter had left in anger, since the last time he had seen her walk away from the tower, Edur Ithindra. His heart ached again and he was reminded of the many years he had spent alone with his books as his only company. The only times someone visited him was when they were lost, or wanted to find shelter from a storm. He still remembered the last person he had seen enter. He had claimed his name was Bergan, but he knew better. It was impossible to not recognize the gedwey ignazia, the silver mark on his hand, which signified he was a rider. At first he had thought it was the king Galbatorix but then he realized it was not. Another rider then must have hatched and he had tried to explain to him what it was he was doing. He could see the same curiosity that was in him in the young rider but after he had explained, the rider had distracted him and left.

"Pray tell, what exactly do you search for?" the rider had asked.

" We seek the answers to the questions we choose" he had tried to explain. He tried to explain about his theory, of light and darkness. The right words could not come to him to describe what he had seen, for he had been enlightened. Enlightened with the truth. And always, his goal was to search for the truth behind all things. That was why he had been born. To make the people stop living like savages and in darkness according to their own beliefs and what they thought was the truth but thrive in a new age of light and knowledge. To navigate them in the right path, to share the things he learned with them.

Anger filled him once again, from realizing the young rider had not understood. He had finally found the answer about lightning and how it was created and how it could be used in the fight against darkness. He had heard the true name of the rider, Eragon Shadeslayer, they called him. Shadeslayer. But could a shade really be killed? Of course as every one knew already, a shade could only be killed when it was stabbed in its heart. But was it really dead, or was the man it possessed the man who died when this occurred. And if this was the case then what happened to the dark spirits and consciousnesses that possessed the human. Were they also destroyed or were they waiting for the next victim. Waiting for their chance to strike again. And if this was the case then Shadeslayer was an empty title, a title that could not actually exist. Could these dark beings be destroyed and if so how? They did not have a body, and could not be killed through any usual weapons. And all the magic that was used to kill a person targeted a certain part of the body not the mind or the consciousness of the being. For years people were taught that it was not possible to bring back people from the dead. But what happened to a person after he died? Was there a soul? And if the soul did exist would it not have the same substance as these corrupted beings that possessed a man to create a shade? Thus there had to be two categories, the corrupted and the non corrupted. For years he had searched for a way to find a way to summon a person and he believed he had finally found the answer. And if this was the case, then finally he would have made an extraordinary discovery! He had to put his theory to the test.

With a quick move he lifted himself from the chair and walked fast toward his office again, avoiding the puddle of water. He shut the door behind him as he quickly gathered his books and notes and opened the seven compendiums. In his rush he spilled a bottle of ink and with a curse he cleaned it with a spell. His hands were trembling and his heart beat faster. The compendiums were pieces of paper where he had written many spells over the years and words of the ancient language. Magicians used them as a form of encyclopedia, a source of knowledge. He had written some spells for defense in case he needed them. He had to be prepared for anything. The time had come to create history. He cleared his throat and with a loud voice he shouted the magic spell.

He instantly felt the drain from his body, larger than any he had experienced before. The spell used the same wording as the calling of a shade with only small differences, but he had included a few lines in the spell. He saw as the room got darker as all light was completely drained and the old man Tenga could barely see as the room was filled with conciousnesses, screams and shouts and laughter. They quickly took a form he had never seen before, and attacked his consciousness. He had expected this might happen and as a result he had carefully prepared some defenses in his mind to prevent the being from taking control of his mind. He quickly shouted a bunch of spells that had no effect and quickly realized this would not work. He looked at his compendiums for anything useful and shouted everything he could, some spells breaking the table in pieces while others made some papers burn and a mirror to break. The bookshelf caught fire but the attacks passed through the form as it was quickly invading his mind taking control. He attacked with all his force, shattering the beings defenses. For a moment he allowed hope to enter his mind that perhaps the being was not so strong as he had thought. The attack that came as a response was even stronger. His defenses collapsed and he felt the darkness in the mind as it took control of his body. He tried to escape but a voice filled his head.

"Cease to struggle! We have won!" the voice said over and over and Tenga felt his heart sink as he realized he had been defeated. A sense of despair filled him. A stream of memories came in his mind from his life, when he was a young man and his first memories from his daughter, the day she left, the countless hours he had spent in his study room, as the shade looked at his memories and categorized them according to its own will. He attacked one last time and managed to get a hold of the beings memories. A thirst for power filled him, days passed in the wilderness, full of killing, a broken man over a dead dragon, his grief was enormous as he could hear his crying. A shout of anger and he could see the man as he succumbed to madness, talking to himself, to things that were not there. The being haps approached the man and made a promise to learn the beings secrets to fulfill the man's thirst for revenge. The days he spent studying. A broken promise and a spell to banish it from the land. And finally the beings endless anger as it searched for a way for revenge, a way back. A way he had opened by mistake.

"You see now why we must do this? We were tricked and we want the world to pay!" the conciousnesses told to him as they finally took control of his body. The shade looked at the mess as the ancient building started to collapse. Walls fell and floors cracked as he made his way outside. His skin was white and deathly and his hair was blood red. He looked at the flesh and he reminisced the time when he was not trapped in this old prison. But it had to be done. He walked away from the building in search of blood.

OCC: I hope this a reasonable way for the shade to be created, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Waiting for your feedback.


	10. Chapter 10: Magic Trials

It was a cold long night as two figures entered the tall trees in the forest. Above the figures, two dragons, one blue and one green circled in the sky above them. One of the figures was wearing a blue colored shirt and brown pants. He had brown curly hair and his build was muscular. He looked fit as he walked confidently, following the figure in front of him. The other was a female, with long black raven hair and white skin. Her lips were red and her green eyes had a determined look. She wore black leather pants and a green top to match her dragon's color. She walked with care, opening the path. The two figures suddenly stopped in a large clearing. In the middle of the open space was a lake with crystal clear water. The lake's water moved from the slight cold breeze, but it mirrored the red orange light coming from the big full moon in the sky. The two figures lied down near the lake and talked for a while, looking at the moon and the countless stars in the sky, every once in a while pointing at one. The female figure stayed silent for quite a while until the male figure kneeled away from her point of view. He used a quick incantation, and a small green node sprung from the ground, slowly growing into a larger size. The plant grew leaves and finally, with the final words of the incantation, a flower formed in the top of the plant. The flower was blue and the petals had a slight touch of a silver color at the ends. The stem of the flower had a gold color, which created a very pleasant smell on the air. With a quick motion, he gave the flower to the female figure, saying a few words as he did so. A shiver passed through the female figure and she did the same. The two figures slowly leaned towards each other, closer and closer, until finally their lips touched kissing passionately. The dragons above roared their approval.

_"__Eragon! Eragon!"_ Saphira shouted in his mind, trying to wake him up. Eragon snapped his eyes open, looking around the room, trying to figure where he was.

_"__Goodmorning Saphira!"_ Eragon said with a yawn.

_"__I've been trying to wake you for so long! I was a bit worried, little one."_ Saphira explained.

Eragon smiled at her and then lifted himself from his bed. He quickly bathed and prepared breakfast. He scratched his chin and cheeks. For the past year, he had started to grow a small beard on his face. It sometimes itched him but it reminded him of his father Brom. He quickly cut some apples and pears and another exotic fruit that he had discovered as he scouted the area around Du Skulblaka Ramr. It's taste was sweet and it reminded him a lot of a peach. As he ate his fruits, his mind wondered again on the dream he had been having. For years now, it was the same dream in different situations. It was always he and Arya but the landscape around them changed every time. Sometimes it was a forrest, sometimes a city or a empty landscape. But the dream always had the same effect on him. It left him in a happy mood.

Still, a growing sense of worry started to eat him from within, as he felt that what he dreamed would never happen. Twice she had rejected him already, and the third time she just said that given time something could happen. It was frustrating to feel that his feelings were not returned but there was nothing he could do. His mind gave him arguments against his emotions but his heart ordered otherwise. The long distance between him and Arya was an extra barrier that he had to pass. It meant he could not talk to her everyday as he used to or comfort her and her duties as a queen and his duties as a Lead Rider also made it even more difficult. Constant communication after all, was an important part of any relationship and he only wished that Arya could be there or that he could return to Alagaesia to be near her. His heart ached and his stomach twisted from the anxiety.

As he finished eating, he heard the flap of wings as dragons and riders passed above him, heading for the training fields. It was time for their daily lesson. Eragon looked at the mirror to see if he was presentable and then climbed on Saphira. With a roar she took off, going higher and higher until they were only specks if someone was looking from the ground. Then as Eragon prepared himself, holding himself tighter, Saphira started descending, without moving her wings. As the ground came closer, Eragon shouted and Saphira moved her massive wings, slowing their descent at the last moment. With four big moves, she landed right outside the training fields.

_"__Show off!"_ Eragon told her and Saphira snorted. A smile came on Eragon's face and he released a short laugh as he also enjoyed this game more than he would like to admit. It helped him relax from his studying and his daily chores of teaching his students sword fighting, magic and then fighting with Blodgharm and Yasmira with his sword and mind every single day. He was still sore from his last encounter. To tease him Saphira showed him an image of him and Yasmira fighting. With a sudden unexpected move as he was preparing an attack, she used a fireball that had singed part of his beard. She had apologized later but Saphira still got fits of laughter whenever she thought about it. Eragon laughed too at that and then looked at his assembled students.

Salador was there, sitting on the ground with his back on a rock as he looked at the students and then at Eragon with interest.

"Goodmorning to everyone! Today is a big day for you. As you may know, today we will have trials for you to demonstrate your ability with magic. If you pass these magic trials, you will be one step closer to your goal, of becoming full riders!." Eragon announced.

At these words, the dwarf rider Thrain looked at the sky with a quick prayer and then looked anxiously around. Alaina the elf rider smiled at Eragon, confident she could pass the trials. Salador lifted himself up from the rock, and looked determined to pass the test. And finally, Gregorbak lifted his chin in a manner of respect. His emotions were hard to read.

"For the trials, we will use the four elements, Earth, Water, Fire and Wind. You will demonstrate your mastery of these four elements by creating something original or perhaps using these abilities in other ways." Eragon explained to them.

"For example, you could do something like this." Eragon said and with a quick spell, and using his favorite magic spell, Brisingr, he created a second apparition of his sword, and made it dance around him in a protective fashion. He looked at his student's expressions as they were deep in thought, trying to find a way to pass the trials.

With a motivated look, Alaina stepped up and with a quick spell, she created a bird made of fire, that flew around her and the other students. It finally sat on her shoulder, without harming her and then disappeared. The other students clapped and Eragon was impressed by the effort.

Salador stepped up and with a spell, he tried to copy the spell that Alaina used and to create a dragon made of fire. For a few seconds, he managed to do so, creating the scales and the fierce characteristics but then the spell tired him and he quit the flow of magic. Eragon smiled at him encouraging him and in this way showed him his support for his effort.

It was Thrain's turn as he stepped up and with a few quick words, he created a fire so intense, that it changed the color of the metal from orange to red and then managed to melt a metallic sword he was carrying, and with it, he slowly created a small metallic statue. It was not very good at detail, but it showed a dwarf warrior. The other students congratulated Thrain as he stepped backwards, his face becoming red.

Finally, Gregorbak stepped up and with a protective spell, he protected the students from a storm of fire that he created. The fireballs, amassed together and created a protective wall around him. After a few seconds, Gregorbak ended the spell and sat down, exhausted.

"That was very well done! I am impressed by all your efforts, but the trials must go on, no matter how tired you feel." Eragon said with a loud voice and motivated them to continue.

Thrain was quick to oblige as with a spell, he made the earth around him rise, and then he gathered the excess rock and created a statue of a wolf. One could see its fierce characteristics, and its readiness to pounce at a moment's notice. It's fur was portrayed by lines all across the statue. Eragon looked at it with admiration and touched the statue with his hand.

He quickly looked at Alaina's spell, who called water from the ground, and with a continuous flow of energy, managed to make several balls of water fall around the students, as a form of distraction spell.

Salador stepped up but he did not have enough time to see the details as he felt a being trying to communicate with him through his mind. At first, as a habit, from the everyday training he was doing, he locked his mind with strong barriers, but then he realized it was Yasmira, contacting him. He opened his mind and heard Yasmira's voice.

_"__Eragon! You must come immediately!. It is a very urgent message from Alagaesia."_ Yasmira said quickly and without saying anything else, she ended the communication, before Eragon had time to ask more questions.

Dark thoughts and memories entered Eragon's mind and a sense of worry filled him for his loved ones in Alagaesia. Was Roran and Katrina all right? Was Arya, Nasuada and everyone else all right?. Some of the thoughts must have shown on his face or it was the fact that Salador had finished his magic spell that made the students look at him. They saw that something was bothering him.

"I must go now, but Blodgharm will be happy to see the rest of the magic trials. I have urgent news from Alagaesia. I shall inform you all of what I learn when I return." he said and without another word, he turned around.  
Saphira landed near him and he quickly climbed in his spot on her neck, as she took off towards the library.

_"__What do you think has occurred? Is it another rebellion? Or is it something completely different? The Olympic Games were supposed to be happening these days."_ Eragon asked Saphira worried.

_"__Whatever it is, it must be very urgent. Yasmira sounded on the verge of panic when she contacted me."_ Saphira replied.

In a few minutes, Saphira landed on the steps of the great white building that was the library of Du Skulblaka Ramr. Eragon quickly jumped from Saphira's back and landed on the white marble floor. He climbed the stairs he had built with the help of the elves and the eldunarya. The library was easily the largest building in the new Dragon city. It was an impressive building with a great large garden full of statues and plants, grown with magic or with plants they had found during the exploration of the nearby area. A statue of a gold dragon, with its fierce expression, ready to roar and pounce on its enemies, was in the center of the garden. Its scales were exquisitely made, and its eyes gleamed as the light from the sun fell on them. The statue looked almost alive. The dragon had its head lifted in the air, but instead of a stream of fire, coming from its mouth came water. The water fell in a small pool, that had formed around the statue.

Eragon opened the massive doors of the building, and ran inside, towards Yasmira. He passed a few tables and chairs that had been put as an area where the students could study their books and scrolls. On the other side of the tables, row after row of bookcases filled with books and scrolls that had been taken back from Galbatorix filled the whole massive building, the whole knowledge that had been gathered by the now gone, old Order of Riders. Eragon had spent countless days studying these scrolls, as much as he could so that he could learn as much as possible. He needed to be able to know more than any other member of the Order, if he was to be Lead Rider. He wanted to be able to teach the students as much as possible from the secrets of the riders of old. That is why, during the first few years, he had made it his goal to read every book and scroll in that library. He had learned countless useful things from being able to better defend his mind against attacks, to better uses of magic, alterations in the ancient language and spells that had not been used for thousands of years.

With a quick pace, he climbed the stairs to the second level of the library, and opened a small wooden door. A cozy room with comfortable chairs and a fireplace awaited him. Yasmira was there, her long silver hair gleaming form the light that came from the fire. She was wearing a white dress and her brown eyes were shining with barely contained tears. She looked at Eragon biting her lip and showed him the mirror, where with the help of a spell, he could see his cousin Roran. He was covered with smoke and dust, and many injuries. His look was one of defeat and his eyes showed the horrors he had seen. His clothes were tattered.

"Roran! What happened?" Eragon said with worry.

"Eragon! It has been a long time!" He replied with a small smile but then his expression became grim again. "We are at War! King Orrin and his men attacked us while the Olympic Games were being held in Belatona. The city is lost and we lost thousands of men in the battle." Roran informed him. "We believe that Nasuada was captured or perhaps killed in the conflict. Along with Jormundur and half of the high commanding officers. The situation is terrible Eragon! We are leaderless, and the men are scattered around.".

"But how is that possible? I thought weapons and armed men were not allowed in or around the stadium as long as the Olympic Games are taking place". Eragon asked.

"So we thought. But King Orrin had a different opinion. It gave him the perfect advantage over us, as we were unarmed and gathered together in a stadium. He would never get a chance like this again. He moved his army near the city under an invisibility spell and attacked the unsuspecting city and guards. As you can imagine, it was a massacre. We believe at least six to eight thousand people were killed in the city. " Roran said with a pause at the end as he remembered all the deaths of men, women and children in the city, the horrible screams of dying men and the crying of children, the houses burning and the roads covered with the blood of people fighting and dead bodies.

"What of Arya and Firnen? Weren't they there to help?" Eragon asked still not being able to believe the extent of the damage.

"Yes, they sure gave the Surdans a lot of problems. I'm sure if Firnen was better trained, they might have prevented the city from falling but as it is…" Roran stopped his sentence. "Arya and Firnen are with us but as I said, the people that remain cannot even be described as an army."

A growing sense of anger filled Eragon. He had never really liked king Orrin. He respected him because of his position, but he always felt there was something off with him. He had captured Nasuada or killed her and Eragon would make sure that he would pay for his actions. He considered Nasuada a close friend and if any harm had fallen on her, he would make sure Orrin would answer for it.

"I never thought Orrin capable of doing this." Eragon said with a low voice. His expression betrayed his emotions and Yasmira took a step back. Even Roran looked at him with concern. He let the comment pass without answer, not wanting to anger Eragon with more details about the battle.

" You must make sure you gather the army again. I will come back to Alagaesia to help as soon as I pack." Eragon informed Roran.

"That is so good to hear Eragon!". Roran said with a sigh of relief."You don't know how happy I am to hear that!" he said with a big smile.

"Be careful Roran." Eragon said with concern.

"You too, brother. Send Saphira my regards" Roran replied. " I'll inform the others of your help. It will lift their spirits." He said

Eragon smiled and Yasmira ended the spell. Eragon looked at the empty mirror. It looked as if the news had made him older than he was.

_"__We must inform the others"_ Saphira said. The sentence made Eragon pause. He needed to help his friends but had he trained the new riders enough for them to engage in a war? He knew how dangerous a war could be. He had sworn to protect the eggs and the new dragons and riders with his life, when he left Alagaesia. He did not want to put the new students in unnecessary danger.

_"__You must trust yourself little one. You have taught them everything you could. They are almost full riders now, and sometime, as all hatchlings, they must learn to fly on their own, without a need for us. They must put their knowledge to the test, and make their own decisions. That is the only way to grow up."_ Saphira stated.

Eragon sighed. As usual, Saphira was right. He did not like the idea of taking his students to come with him, but in the war that would come, they would need all the help they could get. He turned and hugged Saphira as she hummed in response making the floor vibrate.

Eragon climbed on Saphira and headed towards the training grounds once again, deep in thought. The students were still there, finishing their spells. It was Thrain's turn as he made the air move faster and faster until a storm of sand and rocks from the ground was created that could easily injure or even kill a man in a few seconds. Thrain collapsed on the ground, exhausted. Salador lied down near him, his skin pale. The students were exhausted but the magic trials were finally over.

"Congratulations! You are now riders in full!." Eragon shouted and the students cheered, as the dragons roared their approval.

"It has been a great honor teaching you the secrets of the riders. I hope that you will put what I taught you to good use. Normally, we would have a great feast to celebrate, the first of many. Unfortunately, things are not going well in Alagaesia. The peace is over, and there is war again in the land. King Orrin and Surda attacked Queen Nasuada and the other races in the Olympic Games. That is something we cannot allow. We will not let Alagaesia fall back into chaos. Queen Nasuada is believed to be dead, or captured. We must help the races in their war against Orrin! " Eragon said with a loud voice. The students listened carefully. Their faces had changed from pure happiness to dread and fear.

"I understand you must be tired after the magic trials, which is why you can have the rest of the day off to pack your things and relax. But tomorrow, we leave for Alagaesia!" Eragon continued.

The students bowed and started to leave the training grounds as Eragon turned to look at the blood red sky. The sun was almost at the level of the sea. The rays from the sun hit the water, creating silver patterns in the water, and the waves crashed in the beach far below.

Salador and his yellow dragon Gadroth were the last people in the training grounds. He moved and stood besides Eragon. Eragon turned with a questioning look.

"Ebrithil…you have achieved so much in the war against Galbatorix. You have fought shades, and the dark king and you have killed them, no matter how powerful. But how am I to reach your achievements?" Salador asked.

"The moment I heard about the war, a fear paralyzed my body and all I wanted to do was stay as far away as possible from it. As you may know, I'm no stranger to fights, or even blood, but I don't want to lose what is the most precious to me. What is closest to me. I fear that in the war, terrible things will happen, and I will lose everyone that I care about…." Salador tried to explain and find the words.

"I understand Salador. You might be surprised to know, that even after the achievements you named, I have the same fear as you do. So does everyone else. Perhaps they hide it better, or they don't show it but everyone does. The trick is to use this fear, fight it, and try your best. Trust your abilities and your knowledge. Protect those you love, and do anything for them. Fight for them, and you will gain the strength you need against your opponents." Eragon told him. Eragon saw Salador still thinking about his words and something inside him made him make a promise.

"I will do everything in my power to keep you and those you care about safe." Eragon said in the ancient language.

Salador smiled and thanked him. He turned around slowly and climbed on the back of his dragon. With a jump, the dragon took in the air, and a few moments later it disappeared in the sky as the dragon released a river of fire in the air.

Eragon smiled. That was what he was fighting for. He intended to keep his promise to Salador and the other riders. He would keep them all safe and there was nothing anyone could do to stop him.


	11. Chapter 11: To Lead an Army

**Chapter 11: To lead an Army**

The city of Dras Leona lied in front of the lonely figure as he walked in the dark stone road. He looked tired, and his clothes were covered with the blood of his enemies. He was walking with a limp as a soldier had managed to injure his left leg. His expression was one of defeat, and his eyes showed the horrors he had seen in the battle he had been in. Ahead of him thousands of ragged men, screaming women and crying children were trying to enter the city to protect themselves from the army that was pursuing them close behind. Many people tried to enter the city but the guards prevented them. The man looked at the people he had to pass in anger and touched his hammer. A sudden movement caught his eye, as a noise started to be heard around him. People turned as they saw him, a glimmer of hope in their eyes as they whispered his name and the crowd silenced around him as they respectfully opened a way for him to pass. He was a hero of the Varden and the army and everyone knew of his deeds.

Roran Stronghammer walked amongst the crowd, in seriousness as he waved his hand above his head to greet the people outside the city. At this, the people cheered and soldiers banged their weapons on their shields. In truth, Roran thought that the soldiers were right. The city had little hope of surviving the upcoming attack and in order to save their lives, the citizens needed to move to Illeria, where they would have a better chance of surviving. A shiver ran through his body as he remembered the screams of dying women and children and the blood as a head flew past him in battle. He saw with his mind the image of his wife and kids lying dead and he quickly shook his head to get these thoughts away from his mind. He would not let another massacre take place. He would not let any harm fall on his family. By the time the citizens had arrived in Illeria, Eragon and Saphira and the other dragon riders could come and help them in their fight. The elves and the dwarves would have more time to amass their armies and King Orrin had no hope of defeating them.

A city guard stopped him outside the gates of the city with his spear and ordered him to present himself. Roran did so and the soldier widened his eyes and let him pass through the gates with an embarrassed expression.

He walked amongst the empty streets and saw the closed windows and doors of all the houses. There were no merchants shouting their wares with their loud voice, or children running in the streets shouting cheerfully and playing. He remembered visiting the city a few years before. The city had been full of happy faces and people were drinking and dancing merrily, celebrating the second year of freedom from Galbatorix's rule. He still remembered the tune of a drunk man singing, the song eerily playing in his mind in the now empty city. Somewhere a brick fell, creating a loud noise, making Roran jump. Being in a empty large city made his senses peak as if he was in battle. With the corner of his eye he saw a tall man slowly coming towards him, with a serious and angry expression. The man wore heavy dark clothes and his black beard covered most of his skin on his face. He looked like a magician and Roran quickly closed his thoughts as Eragon had taught him to do.

"Roran Stronghammer! What a pleasant surprise!." the man said with a fake smile. His voice reminded him of that of a snake. "I am Dyrfod, of the Du Vrangr Gata, and I am the person responsible for the magic users in the city of Dras Leona. Martland Redbeard heard that you arrived in the city and he immediately sent me to find you, for the news are grim from the city of Belatonna, although judging from your appearance, you already know that…" Dyrfod said, his eyes judging his appearance and watching and measuring Roran's every move.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Dyrfod. Thank you for coming. I will go to the Governor immediately" Roran said.

"Please, let me lead the way. After all, an empty city is a dangerous place, especially for a war hero of the Varden". Dyrfod said and smiled with what Roran took as an ironic tone.

Roran followed the unpleasant magician closely, one hand always ready to grab his hammer. He looked at the grim faces of the men and women as he quickly passed near them, feeling their eyes looking at him. He climbed the many steps leading to the new castle of Dras Leona, where the Governor of the city was. He saw the statues of soldiers on the left and right of the entrance and in the middle of the yard was a large gold statue of a human a elf and a dwarf all fighting together against a large bulky evil looking man.

Roran admired at the fine art of the statue. The characteristics of the faces looked almost real and the details of the armors that they were all wearing and their weapons and expressions as the three different races all tried to stab at the bulky man was something truly inspiring. The face of the man being stabbed showed great horror and disbelief at the outcome, as though he was not expecting them to win.

Roran tore his gaze from the statue and barely saw the weird magician as he disappeared inside the castle. He ran after him, embarrassed. He did not want to make a bad impression and keep Martland Redbeard waiting for him. The two of them had a long history as he used to be Roran's first commander when he joined the Varden army, and they had had their differences. But that was all past now, or so Roran hoped.

He climbed the stairs passing a few serving boys with a hurry, startling them as one almost dropped a platter of food on the floor, a stream of curses following him as he disappeared from view. He saw the magician enter a large double door at the end of the hallway, where he assumed the governor was waiting for him. Roran entered the room, and many people turned to take a look at him as the magician Dyrfod announced him. It seemed as though they were in a middle of an important discussion about the future of the city.

"Stronghammer! Welcome! Please, join us!" Martland Redbeard ordered and Roran obeyed, taking a seat at the far end of the table. He attracted many curious glances from the lords and ladies around the table but then a tall muscular man continued talking.

" As I said, I think we should stay here and defend the city until the last breath. King Orrin might have taken Belattona by surprise but now we know he is coming, and we are more than ready for him. We e gathered food supplies to last for almost a year and our soldiers are itching for battle."

"But we have no one to lead these men! Every army needs a leader to inspire them to victory! Are you going to lead them Vardyl or you Dyrfod? Or are you Martland, in your state?" a woman said looking at Martland's one hand.

A silence followed her words. The three men looked at her with anger in their eyes.

"Gentlemen! Please, calm down! It is true that we are in a very tough spot." Roran intervened before things turned ugly. "However, I think that as my friend Vardyl stated, our soldiers are battle hardened, and ready for every threat, be it Surda or even Galbatorix's is why i vote that we should stay and defend the city to our last breath. However, it would not be wise to put all our eggs in the same basket. We need to send our women and children, our families to safety! To Illeria! That is our safest bet! There is no need to risk the lives of the innocent and trust me, no one wants to see another massacre happening in this city. That way the soldiers will fight without the fear that their families are in danger. And if this city falls, then we will at least have gained some time, for the other races to help us. Even as we speak Arya and her dragon Firnen are flying to the elves, preparing the elves for war, and so are the dwarves. Even Eragon has decided to come and help us as soon as he can! It is our duty to protect this city and buy them some time and that is exactly what we will do, or die trying!" he shouted banging his hammer on the table, startling a few nobles. His voice still echoed inside the room.

"That was very well said thank you Stronghammer." Redbeard said breaking the silence.

"Bah false promises of elves helping and dwarves and dragons. The dragons are a million miles away! Even if they came they would be too late. And dwarves and elves? When have they actually cared about our problems? They only look at their own interest and help us only when it serves their interest." Dyrfod said.

This comment sparked an argument between the lords sitting around the table one group shouting for and the other against Roran's position.

"Enough!" Redbeard shouted. "I have made my decision! I believe we have found our commander" he said looking at Roran with a smile and then at the table around them. "A hero of the Varden to lead us to victory!" with that he dismissed the nobles who rose from their seats.

"Vardyl! Lead the people to safety in Illeria. The rest, prepare the army to be inspected by our new commander!" Redbeard shouted.

Roran looked around him dazed. He was commander of the army! Who? He, who was a simple farm boy only a few years before. A large smile appeared on his face. After the other nobles left the room, for several minutes,he and Martland discussed the strategy they were going to follow, and the advantages and disadvantages of many plans. Finally a knock on the door was heard and a messenger appeared stating that the army was ready for inspection. Roran stood from his chair and followed Martland Redbeard outside of the castle.

There, he saw the army, arranged in columns, each line of men looking at him with their hands upon their pommel of their swords with serious and grim expressions. Flags of the Varden and of Nasuada's empire could be seen among them, as row after row of men appeared, filling the space in front of the castle.

Roran walked among them, inspecting their gear and equipment. He saw men of all ages, from old men to middle aged men to barely adults among the ranks of the fighting men.

"I walk amongst you and I see men of all ages, of all backgrounds, standing before me. I see men fearing for their families, fearing that this war is already over. I'm afraid you're mistaken. Deep inside, you want to protect your families, you want to provide a future to your children! You are determined to stop the Surdan invaders from conquering our land! I see men ready to give their last breath to defend these values. I see an army every enemy should tremble! We fight for our families! We fight for our friends, for our comrades fighting next to us, for our people for our land! For the blood our ancestors have spilled to make this land our own! And we will not give this lightly!" Roran shouted and the men looked straighter and more proudly at their commander.

"We defeated Galbatorix the mad king against all odds and now another mad king is trying to conquer our land. Let's show them why they should fear us! There is nothing we cannot achieve!" Roran shouted and with that he stopped his speech.

The army stood in silence in front of him. Suddenly a very tall and muscular soldier that looked strong as a bull lifted his shield and shouted with all his might, quickly followed by the other soldiers. Roran recognized the man from the Olympic games. His name was Alaric and he had almost won the fighting competition before it was interrupted by Orrin's invasion. Roran admired the man for his pure strength when he fought. He smiled at the man acknowledging his presence and all the soldiers smiled back, their fears long forgotten. They had a new worthy commander to lead them to victory.

_"__So this is what it is to lead an army."_ Roran thought and felt ready for the challenges to come.


	12. Chapter 12: Myths and Riddles

The new dragon city of Du Skulblaka Ramr was slowly fading behind them as Eragon and his students flew upon their dragons on their way to Alagaesia. The students had all packed in the remaining time that had been given to them after their successful completion of the magic trials. They had all rested early, preparing for the journey ahead, tired from the events of the day but happy for their achievement. They were all now considered to be riders in full. In this short period of time, Eragon had gathered the eldunarya and carried most of them with him. He had left only ten large sized eldunarya, one for each of the ten elves that would stay behind to guard the Dragon city and the dragon eggs while he was away. Of course, over the years a few humans, dwarves and elves had travelled there in order to help with the training of the riders and the protection of the city, who would also remain behind. Eragon had made the necessary arrangements with Fael who would be left in charge. The elf had shown his disappointment for remaining behind, especially since some of the other elves would accompany the riders in their journey to Alagaesia, using the Talita, the ship that had been used to get to Du Skulblaka Ramr. This was because of Blodgharm's and Yasmira's insistence that the new riders and dragons and Eragon himself, needed to be protected and as a result, it was necessary for some of the elves to accompany them in their journey. Eragon had also contacted the rulers of the different races, mainly Arya and Orik, but to his surprise Roran too, informing them of his intention to help. Early that morning, they had departed. Blodgharm and Yasmira were sitting on Saphira along with Eragon. As the two most powerful elven magicians, it was their duty to protect the riders from any harm.

The flap of dragon wings was the only sound that could be heard in the air as they flew on top of the giant trees that surrounded the new dragon city, and above the river that led to the sea. There, he could still see the boat, the Talita, that would bring the elves from the Dragon city to Alagaesia. He looked for one last time at the city that he had called his home for the past eight years and at the tower he had built when he arrived at the city. Finally, he turned his head away. Eragon could see a movement among the trees as a deer ran away from the sight of the fast approaching dragons, as a multitude of birds flew, scared from the sudden movement. A large golden beach appeared in Eragon's line of sight, the waves crashing at the sand. The clear dark blue water of the sea shined like a mirror as the rays of the sun landed on its surface, and Eragon could see the depths from where he was above, through the crystal clear water.

_"__What a great site"_ he commented.

_"__Indeed little one"_ Saphira agreed in an instant a line of smoke filling the air in front of Eragon, making his eyes water.

He watched at his students, as Alaina smiled and Salador looked focused. Thrain was talking to his dragon and Gregorbak looked deep in thought. They were all playing a game of riddles. Alaina and the others suddenly laughed at what must have been a funny response to the riddle.

_"__Can I join your game?"_ Eragon asked smiling.

_"__Of course Ebrithil"_ the others said and Salador repeated the riddle for Eragon.

"_I watch the birth and death of kings_  
_I last beyond all living things_  
_I am the oldest in the land_  
_I am the greatest boulder, the finest sand_  
_I stand on the deepest rock below_  
_I touch the skies where the winds blow _  
_I am where the rivers fountain"_

Eragon thought for some time. He was sure he had heard the riddle before but he couldn't remember the answer. He hesitated as he didn't want to say the wrong answer in front of his students.

_"__Is it a mountain?"_ Eragon asked and Alaina nodded.

_"__I see. My turn now. _  
_Of all the sea terrors, he may be the worst._  
_It exceeds the strength of men and put to shame the biggest ships._  
_tempting it, would be like trying to out run an avalanche."_

This riddle took many minutes for the students to solve but after many tries and as they were all ready to give up, Thrain said "_The Boar's eye".,_ which was the name of the place where Roran's ship had almost sunk on their way to the Burning plains.

"_Well done"_ Eragon praised him. It was a very hard riddle and he was almost certain none of his students would have found the answer.

The game of riddles continued on and on until the riders could not think of any other riddle to say. When the game ended, Eragon found the opportunity to continue the training of the  
riders, creating a series of groans and sighs. He knew the students were tired but it would be a long journey and they needed to be as prepared as possible for the challenges ahead of them. The riders passed the long blue sea and reached the land, following the river, as had Eragion so many years ago.

The sun fell and was replaced by a cold night as the moon appeared in the sky. Before the sun completely disappeared Eragon searched the ground below for a place where they could rest for the saw a small cluster of trees that grew upon the rocky surface of the ground, which could provide some cover for the night. Saphira, landed near the area, and the other dragons quickly followed her example. Gregorbak and Thrain went to the forrest to collect wood for the campfire while Salador and Alaina went to hunt for the small party. Thankfully, there were many trees in the area and plenty of animals and the students returned quickly. With a magic spell, Eragon lit the campfire using the wood that Thrain and Gregorbak had collected and started cooking the three rabbits that Alaina and Salador had caught over the fire.

They all sat around the campfire, trying to warm themselves from the biting cold wind, as they talked  
about their training, the war in Alagaesia and the future. Eragon found himself thinking about the war against Galbatorix, the deaths of soldiers and the time he spent with Arya. Soon the food was ready and everybody filled their plates with food. Eragon could only think how tasty the food was and how hungry he had been. He did not allow himself to eat meat often, only in special occasions, so he and Alaina were eating some fruits they had brought with them but the other riders did not follow his example and ate the delicious rabbit meat.

When everyone had their bellies full with food, a silence came over the camp, as they all looked at the dancing flames of the campfire. No one seemed to want to want to go to sleep. An idea came to Eragon, and he smiled as it was one of his favorite things to do when he was near a campfire.

"Does anyone know of a story or a myth that we can hear?" Eragon asked, breaking the silence and everyone tried to think about one.

"I have a story." Salador replied. "This is how my mother used to tell me the story when I was little" he said with a smile, clearly seeing with his mind a fond memory.

"Once there were two great warriors in the city of Belatona. Their names were Eowyn and Arctus. They were both very strong and muscular and had been together since the day they were born. They were not brothers but since a very small age, they had been very close friends. They used to play with each other, fight and train with each other until they had no more energy in them and sleep took them. However, they were from the poor section of Belatona, and that meant that they had very little chance of becoming someone important in their lives. One day, as they were playing and fighting, and searching for treasure, Eowyn and Arctus saw the army of Belatona celebrating a victory over an enemy, and they were impressed by the great triumph that followed the victory as soldiers paraded in the streets and women and men and children cheered and threw flowers to the men that had been victorious in battle. Eowyn wondered if he and Arctus would ever have such a triumph in their city in their lifetime. As they grew older, their thirst for power and glory grew stronger and so they decided to tell goodbye to their parents and leave in search of a mighty treasure.

This treasure was the sword believed to have been used by a hero of old, said to grant the strength of a hundred men to the person who wielded it. They travelled all over Alagaesia, fighting bands of men who tried to kill them, and thieves and pirates who tried to rob them of their possesions. At each victory, their fame grew until they were feared by the men in the area and all the robbers and thieves avoided them like the plague. Then, they finally reached the city of illeria. It was there that they heard from a man who recognized them that there was a ancient temple in the area, which contained the sword they were seeking for. Eowyn and Arctus thanked the man, not knowing that he was leading them to a trap. For the sword was really there but the temple was surrounded by the men of the evil man, ready to take the sword. Only the pure hearted could enter the temple. Eowyn and Arctus entered the temple and found the altar where the sword was on. Eowyn picked it up, and the temple started to fall, and get destroyed. They both ran outside of the temple, running for their lives but as they exited, they saw the men that had surrounded the building.

A large fight begun, but Eowyn and Arctus were outnumbered and cornered. Yet still, they fought with the passion of a cornered wild beast. The fight was long and Eowyn and Arctus killed many enemies, but the more enemies they killed, the more tired they got, until even the sword of old, that gave the strength of a hundred men, could not help them. There were three enemies left and Eowyn killed one and started fighting the other as Arctus fought the third man. Suddenly, the enemy managed to pass through Arctus defenses and stab him in the belly, inflicting a killing blow. Eowyn shouted in rage and killed the man he was fighting with. Now it was he and the man who had tricked him, left to fight alone. Eowyn fought hard and full of his grief, he managed to behead the man, killing him.

He ran to his friend and managed to listen to his final words as Arctus finally left him. Eowyn shouted and mourned for days over the body of the dead Arctus. Such was his grief that even the Gods pitied him and asked him if he wanted to join them and be immortal. Eowyn refused as he did not want to live a life where his friend Arctus would not be there. It would never be the same. The Gods then decided to lift Arctus into the sky, and make him a star and near him they put Eowyn, and thus were created the two brightest stars in the sky today, Arctus and Eowyn. Always near each other and never apart." Salador stopped talking as a silence fell in the camp as he finished his story. The other students watched Salador carefully as a he looked at the campfire and then towards the two stars in the sky with a thoughtful expression, still lost in the story and its meaning for him. His dragon Gadroth lowered his gaze, looking at him in the eyes and finally touching him on the shoulder.

"Very nice story, thank you Salador" Alaina said and favored him with a smile. Salador blushed and smiled back. Alaina's dragon Arget hummed in approval.

Gregorbak coughed trying to cover a laugh and Thrain looked at the students with interest.

"We have a similar story in my culture only the two dwarves look for the weapon of Guntera….and the ending is slightly different." Thrain said.

"I have another story" Gregorbak said and everyone turned their attention to him.

"This is the story of the Urgal Chief, Bagrain as it was told from generation to generation. Bagrain was a mighty war chief, the greatest of our race. There was a large war between the Urgals and Bagrain fought a big battle against all his enemies. He was victorious in the battle. The celebrations were great, my people were dancing and drinking in victory and in his happiness for his achievement he exclaimed that he was more powerful than even the Gods when he defeated his foes in battle. As a result, the Gods got angry and Lombark, one of the Gods cursed him and twisted his thoughts. Drunk as he was, and lacking of judgement from Lombark's curse he killed his own family.

When he returned to his senses the next day, he had lost everything. Mad with grief he mourned for days until he decided what had to be done. He would search for his family even if he had to go to the underworld to get them back. After a long journey across the country, he managed with the use of an ancient ritual and a dark sorcerer to travel to the underworld and find the God of death and ask for his forgiveness. On his way to the underworld, Lombark employed many savage beasts and mighty warriors that tried ti stop Bagrain but none of them succeeded. Bagrain searched through the millions of souls of the dead in the underworld, through the many torturous monsters of the underworld and found his family and tried to save them.

As he was ready to exit the underworld with his family, Lombark appeared and fought him. The fight was terrible for Bagrain was one of the mightiest Urgal warriors of our race and the strongest, fastest and most proficient in weapons than anyone else. Lombark lost the battle and was defeated, slain by Bagrain but Bagrain himself was injured badly in the fight. At his final breath, he urged his family to escape the underworld and save themselves. When he finally saw them free, he succumbed to his injuries and died. The other Gods saw the bravery with which he fought Lombark been though he was only a mortal against a God, and they decided to make him immortal. Bagrain is now the God of War for the Urgals. The myth teaches us that we must be humble and respectful of the Gods, and that we must be ready to protect and save our loved ones even if it seems impossible to do so. It is also the reasons why the Urgals have to prove themselves in battle at a young age, to impress Bagrain and gain his favor." Gregorbak said and stopped talking.

As he finished the story, Thrain looked thoughtful, trying to imagine how powerful a mortal would have to be to defeat a God in dragon Vincix laughed filling the air with smoke. Salador smiled at Gregorbak and Alaina watched with interest. Eragon thanked Gregorbak for the story. Eragon thought for a moment about the two stories and their significance to the students.

The time had passed, and they had a long journey ahead of them,. Their eyes were slowly closing, as they were between the lands of dreams and the stories they had just heard. Eragon lied on Saphira's belly, as she covered him with her wing protectively. He slowly fell into his waking dreams, forgetting for a moment the war in Alagaesia and the home he had left behind, at last free to rest, lost in the world of dreams.


	13. Chapter 13: Massacre

The night was cloudy as the strong wind passed through the large trees, making the leaves thrustle and some branches to move and fall. The lighthouse of Teirm was once again lit, signaling another storm in the sea. The two soldiers guarding the gate shivered from the cold, and moved their legs as they tried to stay warm in vain.

"Blasted guard duty. Blasted cold. Why do we even have to guard this gate anyway? It's not even the main gate of the city and the army in the city can handle a bunch of rebels." One of the soldiers complained.

"You know very well why. We were caught playing cards, gambling…And its not a bunch of rebels. It's king Orrin's men. They managed to take Belattona and who knows what else since the last reports. At least we're miles away from the war, so it could be worse." the second soldier answered.

"I can barely feel my hands and legs, much less move them from the cold. Fat lot of good I'd be if an attack came. I say if the governor is so concerned about the city's security he can guard the city himself instead of sitting on his throne doing nothing all day".

"Can you shut up? I'm tired of your constant complaints." The other soldier replied.

"But admit it. Wouldn't you rather be in one of the taverns drinking yourself blind or in the company of a beautiful lady?…Or two?" the first soldier insisted with a wink.

"A nice big fire and a warm cup of tea would be good for a start." the second soldier replied, imagining the scene with a smile.

"Not even Galbatorix himself would attack the city at a night like this." the first soldier said still cursing under his breath.

For a few minutes there was silence as the second soldier didn't respond and looked in the horizon as big waves crashed in the beach and the only thing he could hear was the thunders and the whistling of the air as it raged on.

Suddenly between two lightinings that almost blinded him, he thought he saw a figure approaching at a fast pace. He yelled a challenge for the figure to stop as his heart raced from the unexpected arrival.

"Who goes there? Show yourself!" The soldier yelled and the first soldier turned surprised.

This time he was sure, he saw the figure, approaching fast, not intending to stop. The figure was wearing a hood, and had a sword drawn as he was coming towards the gate. The two soldiers lifted their halberds towards the approaching figure determined to stop its advance. Time passed fast as the figure decreased the distance, growing larger and larger by the second, until it took the form of a weird old man. The first soldier laughed relieved, releasing some of the tension that had been built inside of him believing him to be a harmless old fool. However, with a yelp he barely managed to block the old man's sword from lopping off his head as with superhuman speed he tried to behead him. The soldiers cursed as they attacked the old man but no matter the strength of the attacks or the strategy they used, their attacks were blocked. The old man laughed maniacally as he was getting better by the second with the use of his sword. With a sudden move he lunged forward and cut the first soldiers arm off and then with a circular movement of his sword he beheaded him. The second soldier couldn't believe what he just saw. He knew that the being in front of him was powerful and that he had no chance against it by himself so he ran as fast as he could and grabbed a horn. He lifted the horn to his lips and with the corner of his eye he saw the man swinging hiss sword. He could still avoid the blow, but that would mean he would not get a chance to alert the others inside the city. In an instant he made his decision as he took a deep breath and blew with all his might. He felt a sharp pain in his stomach and then at his throat and a difficulty to breathe. A few seconds passed and everything turned dark.

The shade Tenga looked at the bloody corpses at his feet with disgust. His plan had slightly changed as the city had been alerted of the attack. He didn't have much took a deep breath, smelling the wet ground and the smell of blood, finally deciding to move forward. It was time to exact his revenge for the long years of banishment he had suffered and no petty soldier would stand in his way. With a burst of power from his mind, he destroyed the gate with a loud noise, the wooden door breaking in hundreds of pieces, as a large part of wood was still hanging from the door's hinges. He saw the blast had killed a few soldiers that had run to support the soldiers at the gate, but the area was clear for now. He moved towards the center of the city and the governor's palace as fast as he could, stopping every once in a while to kill a soldier or two blocking his way. A large group of soldiers appeared in front of him as they had finally managed to assemble and a wall of steel and spears appeared in front of him, blocking the way to the governor's castle. The shade attacked the line of men, surprising them as they thought he would surrender. The first two men fell faster than the eye could see, but then a third man managed to hit the shade on the arm and a fourth managed to cut the fabric holding his hood, revealing his blood red hair to the soldiers.

"It's a shade!" a soldier shouted right before he died from the shade's sword.

The soldiers looked panicked but still attacked with all their strength and skill, causing problems to the shade who had to use magic many times to save his heart, the only weakness he had. Soldier after soldier, the men fell in front of him, unable to withstand the strong attacks and fast counter grabbed a shield from one of the dead soldiers and barely managed to avoid a flight of arrows as they whistled near him, and he felt the thud of the arrows hitting his shield, until it resembled a porcupine. At last, the soldiers line broke and they retreated deeper into the city, where no doubt reinforcements were waiting. The shade shouted, his rage growing with each second that passed. He wanted more blood, more suffering, more pain. They would all pay for the long years of banishment, he thought.

He saw children screaming and running away and women crying and he ran towards them. He stabbed a child as he ran away towards his mother and soon after she met the same fate. An old man threw a dagger that missed his neck by inches and with a thrust of his sword he cut the man down.

He continued his blood rage, for a long time, killing indiscriminately until the soldiers came again. The shade burned the buildings of the city, one by one, all the while laughing and swinging his sword, each blow injuring or killing someone. A soldier attacked him and hit him on the shoulder, and the shade fell, losing his balance. He rolled away and with a blast of his mind, he burned the soldier that had thrown him down. He lifted himself up again, the old bones of Tenga's body creaking.

The hours passed and the shouts of dying men decreased as the storm of Teirm slowly faded. A sea of bodies surrounded the lonely figure as the last of the desperate soldiers were trying to hold the shade off for some of the citizens to escape the city. The shade had no intention of killing these men and women. He wanted the word to spread, he wanted it to be known what would happen if they crossed him. He slowly killed the last remaining clothes were covered in blood and gore, his sword was red and dull and his shield had broken in more than one places. He had exalted his revenge in the city but he was still not done. He would burn every last building of the city and he would rest for he had much work ahead of him. Many more cities needed to burn for his revenge to end. He released a last terrible scream in the air, that covered even the last remaining thunders of the storm.


	14. Chapter 14: Traps

The sky was red as the sun rose from within the dark gray clouds its rays passing through the narrow gaps of the wall's embrasures. It was a hot morning and the birds were singing in the trees around the city and between the buildings of Dras Leona. People were slowly waking up and going about the marketplace and the soldiers were patrolling the walls and streets of the city as they prepared to welcome the new day. Roran Stronghammer was sitting on the tallest tower, looking at the city below trying to devise the best strategy to defend the city from the eventual assault by the much larger army of King Orrin's men.

By his estimates, the city had only a few days to prepare and so all the soldiers needed to work as hard as possible. For this reason, he had decided to fortify all the roads inside the city by blocking all major roads leading to the governor's palace with wood and rubble. The soldiers had been working from the previous day and had managed to block most of the roads. This would prevent the soldiers of king Orrin to easily gallop and march down the roads and conquer the governor's palace, and would increase the losses they would take to do so, in case they managed to breach the walls. Furthermore, he had barricaded the gates of the city with as much rubble, objects and rocks that he could find. For this, they had destroyed some few old houses that had not been repaired from the war against Galbatorix. This made it hard for the battering ram to open the gates. He had seen a old building which was almost a ruin, ready to fall and he had thought that with the correct timing and spell, the building could fall upon the soldiers of king Orrin, crushing them underneath.

He had also ordered a lot of boiling oil to be poured upon the soldiers of King Orrin who would try to open the gates. He had chosen two buildings inside the city, one big building that used to be the town hall, which was built where the old tower of Hellgrind used to be. Now the building was used to store the food reserves of the city. The second one was a old granary which after the war against Galbatorix, had been used to store swords. and other military weapons. These two buildings would provide the basis for the defense of the city, and would be the two most protected buildings for the city.

All armies had a weakness when disrupting the supply lines and that was exactly what Roran would try to do. He had ordered the soldiers to burn the fields outside the city, which would make it harder for the soldiers camped outside the city to feed themselves. It could also lead to desertion from the enemy ranks as the soldiers would suffer from hunger and disease.

Finally as a last resort, he had marked the area around the city, so that the catapults and arrows coming from the defenders of the city would be more effective and deadly, without unnecessarily wasting them. He also had the men dig giant holes in the ground which they filled with spears and other sharp objects so that they would instantly kill, whoever was unfortunate enough to fall in them. This would make the approach to the city almost impossible. It was not a perfect plan but it would have to do, he thought to himself.

Alarik and Martland were standing next to him, waiting for his orders. Roran thought he was lucky to have such loyal good men under his command. He let a sigh escape him, as he turned away from the walls and walked outside the city walls. A little work in the field would ease his mind from the thoughts and anxiety and would let him think more clearly he thought. To the surprise of his soldiers, he grabbed a shovel from the ground and started digging one of the holes in the ground that would be used as a trap. The soldiers looked on with an amazed look a their new commander, as they were not used to a commander that worked along with his soldiers. They watched at their leader, inspired. The men around him strove to help him, as they too grabbed shovels and dug along with him, happy that their general was helping them in their task. Roran smiled at his soldiers, as he gave them the example, working hard, digging and sweating and laughing at jokes that the soldiers said to lighten the atmosphere.

The work reminded Roran of the time when he was a simple farmer, working on the fields with his father and his brother Eragon. Back when he was much younger and peaceful, before all the wars started. The hours passed as they dug outside the city or prepared the city for the attack and the men grew tired until finally, Roran ordered them to stop and cover the traps with leaves, so that they could not be seen. It would not do to overexert themselves and then not be able to fight the enemy. The men withdrew, inside the city with order. The men waited silently, as the hours of the night passed slowly one ofter the other, unable to sleep wether because they feared an attack or because of the anxiety that they had for what would come.

A short blond man came running towards Roran, barely managing to stop in front of him. Roran grabbed his hammer, thinking it was an attack. The man stopped and tried to catch his breath.

"Easy there lad! Tell me what is going on?" Roran said calmly, after recovering from the surprise.

"Sir! The scouts have returned! They have seen King Orrin's army just outside the city!" The man said when he regained his breath.

This was the news he had been dreading. Roran thanked the man and turned towards the gate of the city as his bodyguards followed him, trying to keep pace with their general. Roran quickly ran towards the front gate of the city. He ran in front of buildings and the soldiers looked at him, knowing that something was not right.

A few moments passed without him being able to see anything. Suddenly, Roran watched as the army of King Orrin slowly appeared from the horizon, like a wild beast ready to corner its prey. Line after line of soldiers appeared in the horizon until they covered the whole area in front of the walls of the city. The soldiers inside the city spread the news and they went to their positions, watching the progress of the enemy army. Two whole hours passed until King Orrin's army stopped moving. Meanwhile, the soldiers under Roran's command went to their positions, ready for a sudden attack. The army stopped moving with a command, and a lone figure approached the city sitting upon a fast brown horse, holding a white flag of negotiations high above his head. Archers aimed at him from every murder hole in the walls, waiting for a command from Roran. The man stopped a few meters from the wall.

"My king Orrin, King of Surda and Rightful king of the empire, descendant of the kings of old, demands the surrender of the city to correct the injustice that was committed when the city fell under the rule of Queen Nasuada. My ruler is merciful so he is willing to keep a blind eye at the treason that the people within this city have done by refusing to obey to his wise rule. The soldiers within will join the ranks of his army and no citizens will be harmed upon exit from the city. These are his terms.!" he proclaimed reading from a piece of parchment with a loud voice so everyone could hear his words.

"High Queen Nasuada, Queen of the empire, Lady Nightstalker, is the rightful ruler of the Empire as decreed from the treaties signed by every ruler of all the races, including king Orrin. She was unjustfully imprisoned by king Orrin during the sudden attack on Belatonna, in a time of peace, no less and during the Olympic games. Is this how your king honors his word? The moment we step out, your king will kill each and every one of us. The people in this city gave me, Roran Stronghammer, command of the army, and we would rather fight to the last man than surrender to such a king." Roran answered, instantly with no hesitation.

"Nasuada is a prisoner of my Ruler and nothing more. At any given moment, he can order her execution. The war is over. My Ruler urges you to reconsider and think of the countless lives you will save from accepting his terms" the messenger answered with a louder voice than before.

The soldiers looked at him, their eyes on him as he considered the offer. His next words would determine the course of the war, for if the city fell before the Empire was ready and the humans and dwarves and elves had amassed in Illeria, then everything would be lost and it would be almost impossible to prevent King Orrin to capture Illeria, the capital of the empire. He would have to be careful of what he said. For a moment, he let himself consider the option of surrendering. It was true that his decision would save many lives of soldiers. It was true that the war would claim countless lives and would add to the burden of the land, but was King Orrin really the ruler the people wanted to be their king? The answer came to him almost immediately.

"Your ruler is a truce breaker, he is dishonest and a backstabber and it would be foolish of us to accept the terms he offers is no better than King Galbatorix. There is only one true ruler in the land and we will not stop fighting until she is in her rightful place, or avenged." Roran answered loudly. He had hoped to provoke king Orrin to an attack, and to inspire confidence to his soldiers by showing that he was not afraid of the larger army that was camped outside their city.

The messenger looked at Roran with a stunned expression, clearly he had expected the city to surrender. Their eyes met for a few more moments, with a look of hatred on the messenger's face, and then the messenger turned his horse away from the city and towards the army of king Orrin that was waiting outside.

Roran let a sigh of relief. He had done well as a leader of the army. He prayed to whatever God existed that he had made the right decision by rejecting the proposal of the messanger and that the city could last the storm that was coming with the help of the defensive preparations he had made. He had to call for a meeting with his high ranking officers so that they could better discuss the defense of the city and the possible ways of attack that King Orrin could use. It always helped to be prepared in situations like these. The citizens were safely on their way to Illirea and he had done his best to secure the city. He only hoped it was enough.


	15. Chapter 15: Prisoner of War

_It was a hot summer morning and the sun was up in the sky, warming the plants and animals inside the forrest. The birds were singing in the trees and the deer were eating the plentiful grass in the ground. A warm campfire was lit in the middle of a clearing. Nasuada heard a sound and looked at the clear sky, as a red spot appeared in it. The spot became larger and larger until it took a form of a huge red dragon. On the dragon's back, sat the person who she wanted above all others to be with, Murtagh. He smiled at Nasuada's bewildered expression and when the dragon landed, he dropped on the ground. Nasuada went a f ew steps backward, fearing what the dragon would do. Murtagh walked confidently towards Nasuada. He wore a red shirt that matched his dragon's scales and brown leather pants. He had an air of authority and his red sword Zarroc hanged from his hip. Nasuada ran towards him and hugged him as he kissed her. They talked for a while about various subjects and then Murtagh smiled. It was the smile that she remembered, the smile that she wanted to see every day._

Nasuada woke up from her pleasant dream and struggled to remember what had happened. Suddenly, she remembered everything, losing her consciousness in the battle of Belatona, then being dragged inside the city and King Orrin's harsh commands. She remembered the great amount of pain she had suffered from the man who tortured her. She could still feel and see the recent results of his "care" on her skin, as large wounds covered her back and arms, and one of her fingers had been broken. Blood was still soaking her clothes. She felt her shoulders stiff from being withheld in the same position for such a long time as her arms were tied on the pole of the sighed and moaned as every movement gave her a shot of pain.

The tent was dark inside and the only light came from the slight opening of the entrance. Nasuada could hear the conversation of the guards outside, news of the war mostly, the amount of soldiers someone had killed in the battle, someone who had his horse fall on him, and dirty jokes to pass the time. Suddenly the conversations stopped and a noise came from outside the dark tent. Nasuada knew she had a visitor. She hoped with all her being that it was not her torturer.

King Orrin entered the tent, with a big smile on his face. He was wearing a thick expensive red robe that covered most of his body and Nasuada's golden crown, which he had taken from her on his head. He looked at Nasuada with interest and his face took an expression of mock horror.

"Oh my! I will have to tell Dargun to be a bit more gentle to our guest next time. After all, we do not want you to die." Orrin said.

"What is it Orrin? Haven't you had enough gloating over your victory in Belatona? You caught us unprepared, no one believed you to be as mad to attempt such a thing" Nasuada replied harshly.

"Now, now be more gentle Nasuada, or I will have to tell our good friend to pay you a visit".

Nasuada remained silent for a bit but her eyes had a murderous look as she observed Orrin.

"That's better. You know it would be a lot easier if your thick headed friends recognized that they have no hope and surrender. Your friend Roran Stronghammer is leading the troops of Dras Leona. That arrogant fool thinks he has a chance against our army. I tried to talk some sense into him by sending a messenger but he refused to even listen to my proposition." he said with a loud voice getting angrier by the minute. He walked in the tent, around Nasuada. She tried to follow his steps and remained silent as she assessed what she had just heard.

"I told him that your fate lies in my hands and you know what he replied?" Orrin asked her.

"Judging by your mood the answer was negative" Nasusada replied.

"Indeed. But cheer up Nasuada, soon Roran and you will be together, in the same tent. Who knows? Maybe before you are both executed you can have a few tortures together." he suggested.

"The dragons and riders and elves and dwarves are coming and they will punish you for your arrogance." Nasuada said.

Orrin kicked her as Nasuada groaned in pain.

"The dragons and riders are miles away. I'd say by the time they come, the war will be over. As for the elves and dwarves…they will find a few surprises in their way…" King Orrin stated with a maniacal laugh. He had prepared some plans for them.

"They will come." Nasuada said with certainty. She wanted to look sure, she wanted to break the arrogance from king Orrin's face and make him fear for the future.

For a few moments, king Orrin remained silent and appeared thoughtful. Then he bowed at Nasuada and said

"My lady, I must go, but I would not like you to feel lonely or unwelcome. Not at all. Please excuse me." he said and as he turned he shouted the name that Nasuada feared above all else.

"Dargun!" he shouted loudly. The torturer appeared inside the tent. He was a short man with black hair and a twisted smile that made king Orrin shiver every time he looked at him. He was definitely fit for the job. He only hoped he did not show too much zeal and send Nasuada to the grave a few months earlier.

King Orrin left the tent as the guards outside saluted. He liked visiting Nasuada and seeing her suffer. He had always hated her with all his being, especially after she won the war and was announced high queen, taking his rightful place. Now that she was his prisoner, her fate depended on his command and that was thrilling. But he would not make it quick for her. On the contrary, he would make sure she suffered every second of her remaining miserable life. He walked towards his tent, his bodyguards following him. A few minutes later he heard a scream from the prisoners tent and he smiled again.

As he entered the expensively designed tent, he looked at the map in front of him, that showed the two cities that he had to conquer as fast as possible. Dras Leona and Illeria. He remembered Roran's talent at leadership, especially his achievement at Aroughs and Carvahall. but also his achievement at the final battle against Galbatorix. He spat on the ground. The man was a trouble and he should have already taken care of him long before the war. He hadn't done it because that would of course bring Eragon back to Alagaesia, and above all else, he had to avoid that from happening before he was ready. When the war had started, he forgot all about Roran until now. He wished he met him in battle and put an end to him. His thoughts turned towards the dwarves, the elves and the dragons, three major obstacles he had to surpass if he wanted to win the war. He had already put his plan into action but he knew it would not be enough. He would have to think more on the subject. He opened his favorite bottle of wine and filled a large cup. He sipped on his wine, studying the map and devising strategies for the war. His eyes started closing from tiredness and from the effects of the strong wine he had consumed and soon he fell asleep on top of the map.

A shout woke him up a few hours later from a soldier and a few moments later one of his generals entered the room. He quickly apologized and said.

"Your majesty! I am sorry for interrupting but the soldiers are ready for the attack. With your permission."

King Orrin hid his annoyance and quickly lifted himself from the chair. He closed the map and hid a pile of papers in his desk. He shouted for his servant and with his help, he quickly put on his armor. With a quick move Orrin exited his tent, followed by the general and he went towards the front line of the army. Soldiers looked at him with awe and they saluted as he passed each rank. His achievement at Belatona had given him fame and he intended to use that fame for his own interests. He looked at the soldiers ready for the attack, to the city and he itched to give the order for the attack to commence. This was it, another crucial part of the war. He marveled at the assembled ranks of the army. He saw the men's faces and he realized he had to make a speech in order to increase the morale of the soldiers. His head ached from the alcohol he had consumed last night. He had finished the bottle of wine after all, even though he had promised to himself he would not. Nevertheless, he took his sword out and lifted it in the air, making the soldiers cheer.

"Soldiers of Surda! This city resists to our rightful rule. They are cowards, hiding behind walls and they refuse to accept defeat. We fight for what is rightfully ours and what was taken from us. So many years we fought alongside the Varden against king Galbatorix. What did we get in return? Why did we lose so many men and sacrificed almost everything for? We got only Feinster, a small city! Is that fair?"

"No No No No!" the soldiers shouted in reply.

"We were cheated! I told Nasuada and their allies at the end of the war but they refused to listen. Today we fight to get our rightful rewards and for the glory of Surda. Let's show them why they should fear us!" King Orrin shouted.

The soldiers shouted in return, a noise like a thunder that would strike fear to the bravest of men. Soldiers lifted their spears, banged their swords at their shields and the cavalry itched to move. King Orrin saw the reaction of the army. He looked at the walls of the city as the enemy waited. He finished his speech with one final word.

"Attack!"he shouted as the army moved forward, as one, like a giant wild beast pouncing on its prey.


	16. Chapter 16: Assassin

The great city of Tronjheim, hidden inside the mountain of Farthen Dur was quiet as it was the late hours of the night. Lights from the magic lamps came from the windows of the small houses and from the roads of the city. Even after dark, the city was busy. Tronjheim was one of the most ancient cities of the dwarves and their capital at the moment. The city had been used many times in the past as a refuge for the whole dwarven population and had strong defensive measures to prevent any attack from enemies. The city had been tested in the battle of Farthen Dur, when the Urgals under Galbatorix's and the shade Durza's command had attacked the city. The dwarves and the Varden had won with the help of Eragon and his dragon Saphira. The lights of the city were impressive but most impressive of all was the giant saphire rose that Saphira had rebuilt in the center of the city. The colors from the magic lamps fell on the masterfully carved petals of the flower, making it change color at parts but also, giving it an impressive look as it shined and could be seen and marvelled upon from miles away. It was the heart of the mountain, the pride of the dwarven race and the most precious treasure of the city.

The throne room of Farthen Dur was richly decorated. Statues of dwarves in shining armor, decorated the room, and jeweled cups and decorations marked almost every object in the room. A large wall painting showed the dwarves of old as they fought dragons and elves and ceiling reached to the top of the mountain, giving it an impressive look and the magic lamps of Farthen Dur decorated and lit the place with their magical colorful light. King Orik was sitting on his golden throne. He was wearing a richly decorated white shirt and a red cape rested on his shoulders. His beard was trimmed to perfection and he had his hammer Volund on his belt. His expression was one of deep thought as lines of worry marked his young noble face. His shoulders were tense and his hand was curling his beard on an unconscious constant move. He was still looking at the mirror, however his mind was elsewhere. He had just stopped talking with Roran. News from Dras Leona was good, the city held the first few attacks by Orrin's army. But how long could the city last? Every attack weakened the walls and their defenders, even though it meant massive losses for Orrin's army. It had already been three days since the first attack on the city and the dwarves were still not ready to leave.

He had spent countless hours trying to convince the rulers of the other clans that it was necessary to help the humans in their struggle. This would help the dwarves not only economically, through trade, as the humans had grown to be a valuable trade partner, making the dwarven economy better but also militarily as they were a powerful ally that could help them in return in a time of need. The dwarves had gained much in the war against Galbatorix as they had been included in the rider pact and they already had a dwarven rider of their own, increasing their nations military power and showing that the prejudices of old had to be abandoned and a new approach should be made towards the other races. Long hours had been spent on meetings upon meetings and finally, the majority of the dwarven clans had listened to reason and had accepted to send their men to join the dwarven army.

Still, the army had not been ready for departure until now and King Orik had already ordered the army to prepare for a march.

Sergath the dwarven magician coughed as he tried to get the attention of King Orik. He had blonde hair and a long blonde beard. His hair was mixed, like he did not care for his appearance and his brown eyes had a look of wisdom as if he knew all the secrets of the world. He was shy and even now he was dancing on his feet, unsure of how to talk to his king. He was an old friend of Orik, since before he was king. Uncertainly he said:

"Your highness, is there something else you need?"

King Orik didn't respond immediately and as Sergath was thinking about asking again, Orik said

"That will be all Sergath." he said with a tired voice. "Is everything ready for the army to leave tomorrow at dawn?" King Orik asked.

"Yes your highness." Sergath answered quickly.

"Good. Give the order for the army to assemble and be ready to leave." Orik said.

Sergath bowed and turned but before he could go too far Orik asked

"How is your family holding Sergath? It's been a long time since we talked as friends. Is your son all right?" he asked with concern.

Sergath turned around again to look at his king. His family was one of the poor ones in the city. However, with his knowledge of magic, he had managed to keep his family safe from the gangs of thieves and cutthroats that threatened the poorer sections of the city. Being a strong dwarven magician had its benefits after all he thought. Still, when his son was born he was sick for a long time and it had taken all of Sergath's control to not ask for help from the king. He had tried to save him for a long time using healing spells and other herbs. His son had survived after all, as the king had learned from his other subjects of his son's illness and demanded that he give him medicine to counter the illness.

"My king, my son is fine thanks to you. I thank you for the concern and I hope that one day I will be able to return the favor." Sergath answered respectfully. His voice was shaky as he was moved by the concern of the king for his family.

Orik nodded and smiled at Sergath.

"If you need anything just ask. We should one day arrange to go to a tavern and drink like we did in the old days." Orik said.

"Of course your highness. That would be a pleasure." Sergath replied with a smile. He excused himself and turned to leave the room.

Sergath left the throne room and closed the door behind him. King Orik looked at the door for a few seconds thinking about Sergath and his family and remembering the past. He then returned his thoughts at the subject at hand.

His eyes once again fell upon the map and he tried to find the best possible way to travel to Dras Leona with the army, without suffering attrition or any unnecessary difficulties. He looked at the dots marking the cities they had to pass, and the blue lines that marked the rivers. He decided upon the route the army would take and made plans for the battle, according to what he had heard from Roran during their chat. The day had been long and he needed to rest so he lifted himself from the throne and walked towards his bedchamber. It was the last night he would sleep in a normal bed and not inside a tent and he intended to enjoy the luxury as much as possible. Soon, he reached his room and in a few minutes he was sleeping.

The next day Orik woke up early and quickly put on his armor after eating a quick breakfast that had been prepared by his servants for him. He exited the throne room and he walked towards the exit of the building as his guards followed him, protecting him from danger. Soon he was walking in the roads of the city as dwarves and humans stopped to watch him pass. The army was waiting just outside the city, having already divided into columns of dwarven ax-holders, archers, spearmen and the traditional shrrg riders and feldunost riders. Orik shivered as he saw the elite shrrg riders, men strong enough to defeat a dozen men and who rode their fierce giant wolves, the shrrg. He looked at one of the wolves, which was completely black, except for its white teeth. It's ears flicked with any sound and movement and his eyes were yellow. It looked at Orik intelligently as his rider pet its giant head with his hands.

He looked at the faces of the dwarves, as they stayed standing like statues of rock, without moving until they were told to move. A pride filled him as he saw the ranks of the army, a pride for his race, for his men and for his country. His heart beat faster and his hands started sweating as he prepared to make a speech to the men before he commanded them to leave towards the enemy and the unknown.

A lonely figure looked at the giant army amassed outside the city of Tronjheim, as it prepared to leave. He looked at the army, impressed by its size and its organization and order. He wore a dark robe and on his head was a hood covering his face. He did not want to show the enemy his face for he was a spy. The dwarf shivered as he remembered the commands he had taken.

_"__Kill the dwarf king. It is the only way to stop the dwarves long enough for my plan to work. It will be months before they have a new king and there is no guarantee that he will be supporting the idea of helping Nasuada."_ King Orrin had said looking at him with his sharp gaze. He remembered those eyes. They seemed to stab him and be able to look through him, knowing his inner thoughts.

_"__You will be richly rewarded if you succeed. Do not fail me, for I will make every remaining hour of your life a living hell. And if you die I will make sure your family has the same fate"_ King Orrin had warned and the dwarf believed him. Besides, there was nothing he liked more than the weight of gold and rubies in his pockets and nothing he would not do to achieve that.

The dwarf assassin looked as the dwarf king stood at the podium and started speaking to the men in the army. He took a look at his enhanced bow. He had paid lots of good money on it and he certainly did not want to fail. He took one of the enhanced poisoned arrows out and carefully aimed. Each arrow had enough poison to kill a whole squadron of men. Just a tiny scratch could kill a man instantly. He looked at the king, still talking to his men with the occasional cheer from the soldiers. He closed his eye to get a better aim and remembered the lessons he had taken._"Aim small, miss small"_ As he released his breath he released the arrow. He looked closely as the arrow flew from his bow and travelled in the air. The distance was long as the arrow had to pass over the dwarves army in order to reach King Orik. The assassin used magic to guide the arrow to its target. It did not matter where the arrow hit him, as the arrows were poisoned, as long as it hit the target. With a loud sound, it hit the dwarf king on the shoulder. The impact made the dwarf king fall on the ground.

The dwarf ran as fast as he could as in only seconds, hundreds of men ran after him with a command from one of the generals. He ran as fast as he could abandoning the enhanced bow and arrows on the floor. He had done it. The dwarf king was dead and king Orrin would reward him. A large horn rang from the army and soldiers rushed from the city. His only hope of escape was to outrun the men and leave from the giant tunnel that led to Tronjheim.

However the Feldunost riders were faster than him and were already close behind him. He stopped and threw a dagger at one of them as the dwarf riding the Feldunost fell on the ground. He threw another dagger but did not had time to see if it had reached its mark as he ran away. The riders were getting closer and closer until finally a shout could be heard.

"Stop right there! Surrender!" the magician said with his enhanced voice as with his mind he bonded the feet of the dwarf to prevent him from running.

The dwarf was a magician too so he immediately said a counter spell to unbind his legs. He had reached very close to his destination but at the last moment the magician had interfered. A sudden anger filled him but there was nothing he could do. As the two dwarves dueled with magic, the other soldiers surrounded him. The game was over. He was dead no matter what. Still, he fought the magician, stopping him from entering his mind until he realized that he was much stronger than him. At last as he was ready to stop fighting the voice of king Orrin filled his mind again.

_"__Do not fail me for I will make every remaining hour of your life a living hell. If you die I will make sure your family has the same fate."._ He imagined what would happen to his wife and parents and with a last desperate attempt he focused all his energy into one spell. If he was going to die he would die fighting. He released the spell and then everything went black.

Sergath looked at the dwarf with horror as he released the spell. He instantly said one of the death words and the dwarf fell dead on the ground. The spell hit the giant tunnel. With a loud crack the tunnel was smashed as giant boulders of rock fell on the ground from the ceiling. Soon, the gate was covered with debris and the way was blocked. Dust filled the air as Sergath coughed to clear his lungs. As the dust settled he looked at the destroyed gate, the way that the army would take to get to Dras Leona. King Orik was dead by the traitorous dwarf lying in the dirt. He kicked the dead dwarf with all his might and spat on him. Tears filled his eyes as he knelt on the ground not daring to look on the other side, where he knew the body of his friend and king lied.

"Barzul. Blasted traitors!" a familiar voice said from behind. Could it be? Sergath looked behind as he quickly turned around to face whoever was behind him.

There, he was, his armor shining in the sunlight as he carried his war hammer Volund on his hands. His long brown beard was perfectly trimmed and his eyes and face showed an anger that he had never seen before on his calm face. He was touching his shoulder with his hand, obviously in pain but overall he looked fine.

"Orik! You are alive! But how?" Sergath asked surprised as he ran towards him. In his surprise and hurry he had forgotten to use the official title of Orik. His skin turned crimson as he was embarrassed but King Orik laughed.

"Ah it is you who killed him Sergath! Well done! Traitorous bastards like him deserve to die. You asked me how I'm alive." he stayed silent for a few seconds and then he said.

"It was mostly luck, he missed my neck by a hairsbreadth. I was wearing the armor Eragon gave me for my coronation. No steel or arrow can pierce it. Our assassin was smart, he used enhanced poisoned arrows but he did not know I would have an enhanced armor." King Orik explained.

Still, he looked tired. The armor must have been enchanted to take part of the energy of the user to work. Sergath was glad the dwarf missed. He looked at the destruction around him.

"It's a pity he managed to destroy the gate. This will make us late by a few days at least." Sergath mentioned.

"Indeed. We better move now!" King Orik said, his face taking again the angry expression he had seen before. He took one last look at the dead dwarf and then turned his back and walked away to give commands to the army.

The army moved hurriedly in a forced march, trying to gain the time they had lost from the assassin's attack and the destruction of the gate. King Orik was still shaking at the thought that the assassin could have achieved and he would be dead. He looked at the world around him, thankful to the Gods that they had protected him. He walked in the front of the giant army, leading the way, to save his friends, fighting for their lives in Dras Leona.


	17. Chapter 17: Elven Council

Hey everyone! Thanks for the support! Finally some E+A! :) Enjoy!

The sun was bright in the sky as it tried to find its way amongst the tall trees of Ellesmera, the capital of the elves. A beautiful voice could be heard as an Elven Maid was singing, her beautiful voice rising and falling according to the rhythm of the song, in perfect harmony. The song was sad and slow at times but it became faster as time progressed. It was a song about an ancient elven hero from the age of the war against the Dragons. Finally as the last note escaped the lips of the elven maid, a silence fell over the forrest as every being in the area was lost in the magic of the song.

_"What a beautiful song! I wish I could hear her voice all day"_ Firnen commented

_"It is a really nice song! Hear her voice all day? Now you're making me jealous!"_ Arya said jokingly.

_"There's no need little one. My heart belongs to you._" Firnen said.

Arya, the queen of the elves let a sigh escape her as the song finished. She liked this particular song as it always made her heart flutter and her eyes water at the tragic end of the song. She looked once again at the trees searching for the elven maid but she couldn't see her. The trees were huge, as they were a few of the most ancient trees of the forrest of Du Weldenvarden. The leaves were green but at times, because of the cold winter, they had started to turn yellow and brown and fall on the grass. The city of Ellesmera was once again full of life as there were elves everywhere, going on their daily routine. Some elves were practicing their singing skills, some others their archery and sword fighting skills, to reach the ultimate goal of perfection in the particular art. A goal that sounded easy but it was very hard to achieve without daily practice.

Arya entered one of the large buildings that had been sung into a giant tree and that led to Tialdari Hall, the throne room of the elves. She wished she could join the other elves on their sword fighting and archery practice and even the singing practice but that was not possible. The matters of the state needed her daily attention and the other elven lords would disapprove of her not being there to solve them. She passed a few humans and dwarves that had come to Ellesmera since the end of the war against Galbatorix.

The elves were still very skeptical about outsiders, not trusting them, especially without searching the peoples minds, but with the help of Arya, a few humans and dwarves had been able to live in Ellesmera. As an ambassador for the humans for twenty years, she was more accustomed to the human traditions and suffering and was able to convince the other elven lords that it was a necessary step to heal the elven society and help it grow. She had gained many enemies by this action but she hoped that her decision was for the best.

As she entered Tialdari Hall, she saw the elven lords already waiting for her in the table as each and every one sat at a chair, looking like perfect statues of kings of old with their ancient beautiful faces. They all looked at her hiding their emotions although a few lords smiled as she entered and others looked at her with disappointment.

Her eyes unconsciously fell on the beautifully decorated throne. It was made of the most perfectly polished wood, and its base had roots inside the ground, as if it was a living tree. The back was made to be as comfortable as possible with the use of a soft pillow and on the side of the chair one could see perfectly carved flowers that had been drawn in a multitude of magnificent colors. Arya knew that they would all prefer if her mother was still alive and that she would never be the same as her mother at ruling the elves. Still she would try her best to be a wise queen.

"Your Highness, I am glad you have arrived!" Lord Dathedr said with a polite smile.

He was a relatively young elf, at the age of her mother who was a wise advisor, in all matters. His height was normal and he wasn't particularly muscular, but his silver hair and blue bright eyes gave him an image of wisdom and respect that other elves lacked. At the moment he was holding a piece of parchment in his hands.

"Thank you Lord Dathedr, please sit!" Arya replied as the lords all sat again back at their chairs.

The Elven council was usually summoned to discuss important matters of the state. This included the recent war and the attacks of King Orrin on cities of the empire such as Belatona and Dras Leona.

"I am afraid we have disturbing news from Teirm. Our scouts mentioned that the city was burned to the ground and that there were thousand of people dead on the streets." Lord Dathedr explained.

"How is that possible? King Orrin's army is near Dras Leona which is miles away and the city of Teirm was not besieged or we would know it and we would have helped." Arya asked her brows lifting.

"That is exactly what we thought your Highness. Only a creature of incredible power could have done it in one night. "

"Perhaps it was a wild dragon." Lord Redwin commented.

He was an old elf that had white hair. He was tall and wore richly decorated clothes that showed his status. He was an enemy of Dathedr and thus of Arya as he was one of the elves that feared outsiders and did not want to have any contact with them.

"The dragons have all left the Empire along with Eragon." Arya reminded him.

"Our scouts examined the destruction closely but they are certain it was not a dragon. In fact, our scouts claim to have seen a being in the area. A being of darkness. A shade." Lord Dathedr said.

"A shade in Teirm? That is disturbing news indeed." Arya commented with a thoughtful expression.

"An incredibly powerful shade that wiped out a whole city. A shade that is out for blood." Lord Redwin interrupted her.

"We will double the guards in the entrance of the forrest. No one enters or leaves without permission. Our plan to help the humans has not changed. We will march to Illeria as fast as possible." Arya said with a loud and certain voice.

"Arya Drottning, you would have us leave the forrest of Du Weldenvarden with such a powerful enemy close by? This will leave us open to attack. Our homes will be in danger. For what? To save the human Queen from King Orrin and then what? A few decades later the same thing will happen again and again. That is the nature of humans" Lord Redwin said with a silent voice. Half the council members talked against Lord Redwin and the other half supported him.

Arya looked at Lord Redwin and the lords that supported him with disappointment. She refused to believe that her race had grown so fearful of interaction with the other races, so heartless.

The lords kept fighting amongst themselves until they noticed Arya's expression. Slowly, the arguments stopped and everyone looked at her. Arya tried to find a way to convince the elven lords of the need to help the humans.

"The Forrest of Du Weldenvarden is still protected by our magic. We will leave a part of the elven army behind, to secure the cities, with the strongest here at Ellesmera." she said with a loud voice. Redwin and the other council members seemed unconvinced.

"It is necessary to help in the war against King Orrin. He is slowly but sorely becoming a new Galbatorix and if we are to prevent him from taking the throne, all races need to unite against this enemy. Things have been prosperous the past ten years, since the end of the war. Our forrest is growing, our homes are full of joy and our lands are prospering. We have new riders from our race, and we even have more children being born from our race. You have to ask a question to yourselves. Are we willing to sacrifice all this and allow another Galbatorix to rise? Are you willing to sacrifice the future of our race for a petty reason like the one you are offering? Are we to hide in our forrest while our friends fight and die while we silently watch?" she asked, fury in her eyes.

The dark eyes of Redwin looked at her with hate as he offered his reply.

"It is in the best interest of our race to let the humans settle their differences. After it is over, we will send a diplomatic envoy to keep friendly relations with the other races. We will not risk elven lives for a war that is not ours." he said with a loud voice looking at the council, seeing a few positive glances from some of the lords.

_"Be careful or we might lose all the pack. Talk some sense into them or it might be too late."_ Firnen said and Arya was glad for his advice. She was glad that he was here with her.

"We defeated Galbatorix because of the friendship that existed between the races, which helped us overcome even the strongest of challenges, removing the mad king from his throne. We united against him with a single goal, and this communion of mind helped us and led us to victory. This is what we need to have again. A single goal. The humans and the dwarves have already decided what they want and are already fighting against King Orrin. We must join them in this war, so that we can still enjoy the benefits we have today." Arya said, her voice flowing as she looked at each and every one of the lords in the room with her bright green determined eyes, finally stopping at Lord Redwin.

The resistance of some of the elven Lords decreased and she could see she had managed to persuade a few of them to her cause.

She had the advantage for now and she did not let Lord Redwin retort as she immediately called for a vote in the matter. The voting process took a long time but finally the results were ready. Each of the Lords voted and there were nine votes to help and five to remain in Ellesmera. Arya smiled and thanked the Elven Lords for their support and faith in her decision. She looked at Lord Redwin but his face was blank, as was the face of the Lords that had lost the vote. One of them was the previous owner of Tamerlein, her sword.

The Elven Lords, each one a representative of a great Family dynasty, excused themselves and left the room, others with grim expressions and others with a smile. Arya was left in the room alone and sighed.

The vote had been closer than she had expected. She would need to watch Lord Redwin closely, no doubt he was up to something. Her thoughts instantly turned to Eragon. She had learned from King Orik that the dwarves were on their way to Illeria and so was Eragon along with the dragons and riders.

A memory came to her mind of the last time she had seen Eragon. She shivered again as she remembered his voice saying her true name and his reaction to her saying his. She remembered the promise she had given him that if his feelings did not change in the next years then perhaps they could be together. She still was not sure how she felt about Eragon. She bit her lip as she tried not to think that she had been too harsh to him. He was leaving Alagaesia and he didn't know if he would ever return and she had refused his advances against everything that told her not to, and everyone she thought with a smile as she remembered Firnen's words when they parted. She valued Eragon as a friend, or even more perhaps, but she also needed to remain queen of the Elves and devote herself to her duty. She only hoped that Eragon had forgiven her for her refusal.

Unconsciously without stopping to think of the consequences she said a few words, attempting to scry Eragon. She immediately regretted it as she didn't know what they would talk about, but the words had escaped her and the spell was already taking place.

"Arya!" Eragon's happy cry broke her reverie.

He looked at her with his brown eyes as he registered every detail of her. She remembered the new green dress she was wearing,made by the Elves and hoped she looked presentable. She saw Eragon's smile, the smile she remembered so well as she observed the small beard that was beginning to grow on his face. She smiled back, unable to help herself and Eragon's face brightened as he saw the smile.

"Eragon, it is good to see you well." Arya said. "Send my regards to Saphira. And Firnen's" she added with an afterthought.

"I will. It's been a long time since we talked." Eragon said seriously with a sad tone and Arya felt bad for not contacting him more often.

"I understand. You must have been busy ruling the Elves." Eragon added and Arya sighed with relief. He had forgiven her.

"Indeed, it has been very hard. I sometimes wonder if I will be able to do it, even with the help of Firnen." she surprised herself telling him this as she would never admit it to anyone.

"Is something wrong? You look a bit distracted." Eragon said concerned.

"Teirm has been attacked by a very powerful shade. The population has been killed and only a few people escaped." Arya said with a sad voice.

An expression of rage passed over Eragon's face as he listened to this news, a destruction he could not have stopped. His expression was thoughtful as he reassessed the situation of the war and his next move.

"I see. That is grave news." Eragon said. "We will definitely have to examine this further with a few of my students." he continued.

"The Elven council had objections about the elves helping in the war against King Orrin. I managed to persuade them but I do not know for how long." Arya said with a worried expression.

"You are their Queen. They must obey you. What were they thinking?" Eragon asked.

Arya smiled in response. "It is a bit more complicated than that."

"You can't just let Firnen have his way with the Council until they agree to your every demand?" Eragon said jokingly, laughing.

Arya laughed "As stubborn as the council can be, that would be disastrous, for both us and the Dragons."

Eragon looked at Arya again, his eyes piercing her but he did not say anything.

"What?" She asked with a smile.

"Nothing. I just missed you. A lot." Eragon said "I'm glad you contacted me." he added.

"I'm glad I see you too." Arya said with a smile. Eragon smiled too and after a while he said.

"I must go, my students are watching." Eragon said with a wink.

"Of course. I will see you soon in Illeria Eragon." Arya said loudly laughing embarassed.

"Yes, we will see each other soon and we will talk more privately. Be careful Arya!" Eragon said loudly and then the mirror turned blank.

Arya looked at her features, a smile still in her lips. She wondered at the smile and at the happiness she had felt at seeing Eragon again, even for just a few minutes He had changed since the last time she saw him. She felt her heart beat faster at the thought of seeing him again and being able to be with him again, to talk about the thoughts in her mind and to be comforted by him, a feeling she had not felt since Faolin.

_"I just missed you. A lot"_ Eragon's voice sounded again in her mind.

She still wasn't sure how she felt about Eragon, but she was sure for one thing. She missed being with him and she had missed him too, a lot. She watched the vast blue sky for a few minutes, as she watched Firnen flying in the sky, her thoughts wondering to distant lands, as she hummed the melody of the song she had heard a few hours ago.

Finally, she turned and exited the Throne room of Tialdari Hall. It was time.


	18. Chapter 18: Battle of Dras Leona

The sun was just beginning to rise, as Roran woke up. He looked at the army of King Orrin, still outside of the city for the beginning of the third week and he groaned. The ground between the army and the city was covered with corpses, arrows protruding from some of the bodies. He saw where the traps he had laid on the ground had caused devastation to the enemy ranks as the soldiers had fallen into the dark pits to meet their doom. The traps made it almost impossible to cross uninjured. Boiled oil was still burning on part of the destroyed battering ram. The walls of the city had been battered and ruined, every day, at some points weakening to a dangerous level. Destroyed siege towers lay on some parts of the walls, but the bridges had been burnt so the enemy could not enter the city. His eyes turned to the soldiers on his side, all bruised and battered. The dead had been burnt to stop the spread of disease in the city and smoke from the burning buildings and bodies entered Roran's lungs making him cough. Scavenger birds were circling the battlefield, feeding on the corpses of the dead. The sleeping soldiers were unmoving, tired from the constant fighting. The city could not last much longer.

Roran tried to walk but a large gash on his leg prevented his movements to a minimum level. He was battered and bruised in many parts of his body. His eyes fell on his shield, that was full of scratches from the countless weapons that had hit it. He lifted his hammer from the ground and put it on his belt, ready to be used. His armor was full of dried blood, and on his body, there was dirt. He saw his men, who had fought bravely for two whole weeks trying to stop King Orrin from taking the city. They had managed to hold him off through lots of tough battles and he was proud of them all. The soldiers looked at Roran with awe and respect and treated him as one of their own, almost as their father, and strived to fulfill his commands. In the past weeks, he had learned that the dwarves and elves were moving towards Illeria as fast as possible. The elves had already arrived near Gilead and the dwarves had just left the Beor Mountains. They would need at least another week to get to Illeria. On his left, he saw Martland Redbeard. The one handed general had a grim look on his face as he twisted his long white beard with his fingers in a constant motion as he was thinking. He used to not have the best relations with Roran in the past, even having sent Roran to get whipped for insubordination, but the weeks fighting together in the city had made them close friends. On Roran's right, Alarik the Olympic champion stood, his huge muscular body covered with dirt and blood. His arms were full of scratches from the countless weapons that had tried to cripple him. He had gained a large wound on his left arm, from his shoulder to his elbow that needed to be healed in order to prevent infection but he still stood proud, on his general's side, silent as he watched the army below.

A loud horn rang from inside the city, signalling the beginning of yet another day, yet another attack. Roran looked as the enemy soldiers ran towards the walls of the city, to try and enter it, through the use of stairs. What posed the greatest threat were two giant battering rams that moved towards the city to replace the still burning destroyed one. The wood was wet to make it more difficult for a fire to burn the battering ram and there were archers protecting it from all sides so that Roran's men could not attack and capture it. Roran ordered the archers on the walls to fire a volley and then another but then an answering wave of arrows came from under the wall, killing a few of his men as the rest of the arrows bounced harmlessly on the wall. Roran ran and pushed a man climbing the stairs to the walls and tried to throw the stairs down but the stairs were secured with hooks on the wall. One of the stairs fell on the army below, screams of terror and pain being heard. The situation would be grim if they didn't manage to stop the soldiers from climbing on the walls. The ground trembled as one of the trebuchets hit the weak wall with a large boulder of rock. Small pebbles flew in the sky from the impact, killing a few men and injuring others. Roran smashed his hammer on the head of a soldier and then he hit another on the back with his hammer. A loud sound could be heard as the battering rams started hitting the already weakened gate. Roran and his soldiers fought as hard as they could for several hours, not giving any ground or sign of giving up.

Suddenly with a cracking sound, the gate to the city broke and opened. Roran shouted for his men to follow him to defend the city. He ran to the gate as fast as he could, his men following him as best they could. The enemy had entered the city and there was no point defending the walls anymore. A large rock landed right next to him, and then another fell on the wall. Part of the weakened wall collapsed to the ground, bringing with it a few of his men and some of the enemies that were still on it.

"To me!" Roran shouted as loud as he could and his men formed a thick line preventing the Surdans from entering further into the city.

Still, the tide of the men entering the city was too strong to stop, and Roran and his men were losing ground every minute that passed. Roran attacked a group of five men followed by two of his men. He used all his weight to hit the back of one of the soldiers with his hammer, making him scream in pain as he sidestepped to prevent one of the enemies from stabbing him in the gut. With a circular motion, he hit the hand of the man who had tried to stab him breaking the bones, and then with another move he hit the man on the chin, the sick crack making him wince. Other soldiers replaced the ones who he had killed and Roran saw that the Surdans were now inside the city at equal numbers with his men. He stepped backwards, as he avoided a spear and then he lifted his shield to prevent an arrow from hitting him on the chest. If they continued this way, the Surdans would have the city very soon. One of the magicians shouted a word and one of the ancient buildings he had marked blew up in tiny pieces. Large pieces of rock fell on the Surdan soldiers, and parts of the wall covered them, as others were burned from the blast. Roran lifted his shield to stop the wave of fire and pebbles from hitting him and he was thrown on the floor, a few meters away from the blast. He was right that the confusion the blast had brought, was enough to stop the advance of the Surdans, but he had not expected the blast to be so big. A little bit of the disorientation had also affected his men.

"Attack!" Roran shouted lifting himself and running to the enemy soldiers, who were blinded by the large cloud of dust on the air, preventing them from seeing properly.

Roran's men attacked with him but soon, the Surdans had recovered from the shock and advanced again, this time more desperately. Roran fought hard with his men but they kept losing ground as the tide of the Surdan soldiers did not stop. Roran didn't like retreating but there was no other option. It was either that or breaking and then it would be very hard to contain his soldiers and even to remain alive. He ordered his men to do so and slowly they went further in the centre of the city, being pushed by the soldiers of Surda.

Another blast was heard and another old building was ruined but this time it was slightly less effective as the Surdans had been prepared for the eventuality. Still, a few of the Surdan men were killed and covered by giant boulders and sharp pieces of wood stabbed and injured many of the soldiers. A sharp piece of wood hit Roran's shield, and Roran was glad for the protection. He had gained many new injuries in the battle, with the largest one on his chest as a sword had managed to cut his armor and make a large surface wound. Around him death and destruction was everywhere.

He saw Alarik, a mountain of strength, moving his large mace and killing a man with a mighty blow. He spotted Martland a few meters away, fighting a man. He threw a dagger on an approaching soldier as he shouted.

"Sir! Go and defend the two buildings! I will cover you!" Martland shouted.

Roran agreed and ordered part of the men to come with him. About a thousand of the closest men came with him as they ran in the streets of the city towards one of the two buildings he had marked, as the two most important strategic positions of the city.

Martland saw Roran retreating and continued fighting. He wore a shield on his shoulder, where he had lost an arm. Suddenly he saw a few men dressed in the most rich armor he had ever seen. They were fighting the men around them with grace, as if they were born to be warriors. In the middle of the group he saw a man wearing a richly decorated armor. In his arm, he carried a magnificent sword and he moved with an air of determination. His face had an expression of anger and disgust and his eyes were shifting in the battlefield looking for targets. Their eyes met and an evil smile appeared on King Orrin's face. Martland tried to clear the way, a great anger for the way King Orrin had treated Queen Nasuada filling him and guiding his movements. He swiftly killed a soldier blocking his way and then one of King Orrin's bodyguards attacked him. Martland blocked the sword with his shield and with a precise slash he cut the man on his arm. The man charged enraged but Martland moved aside and with a quick motion he stabbed the man in the stomach and then cut the man's neck. He looked around as the other bodyguards were engaged in other personal battles and then he focused on his target, King Orrin. He charged the king but King Orrin merely stepped aside avoiding the blow.

"It is good to see you Martland. Queen Nasuada sends her regards." King Orrin said with a sneer.

Martland refused to answer and with a circular movement tried to attack but King Orrin's sword was there to meet him.

"You have grown slow with old age." King Orrin mocked and Martland attacked again enraged. King Orrin blocked the sword and attacked, aiming for his neck. Martland barely had time to block the blow.

"You have grown pompous and arrogant, and you will pay for what you've done." Martland answered.

"I tire of this game. It is time for you to die." King Orrin replied and with a fast move he tried to hit Martland on the leg.

Martland, had no time to react and he fell on the ground. As King Orrin came closer for the kill, Martland grabbed some dirt and threw it on King Orrin's face. King Orrin screamed and Martland lift himself up before he could recover.

"For an evil king, you fight too honorably!." Martland said with a smile and a short laugh.

King Orrin attacked him, furious for being mocked and Martland knew he could not win this fight. He blocked three blows but the fourth one was so strong he lost the grip on his sword as he stumbled on a dead body. Before he could land or protect himself King Orrin stabbed him in the heart. Martland looked at King Orrin and then at the battle around him. Blood filled his mouth as a terrible pain was in his chest. A last breath escaped his mouth and the last thing he saw before everything turned black was King Orrin's enraged face.

It was just after noon and the sun would soon begin to fall as Roran and his men defended the city from the Surdans. Roran had learned from soldiers that the men he had left, Martland among them had broken and that Martland was dead. The loss shocked him as he had expected him to survive. They had been close in the past months and his loss angered him. Reports from the messengers were arriving every second as more and more of the units scattered across the city needed reinforcements. The Surdans were now attacking the two last defensive structures of the city, the two points where Roran had put most of his men as the rest of the city slowly fell to Surdan hands. They had fought in the city all day, from house to house, from door to door, from alley to alley.

He lifted his tired hands to block a blow from a sword with his shield and then he hit the man on the jaw with his hammer. He saw men approaching and among them a tall strong man with dark hair and eyes, his skin covered with scratches from the battle as he moved his battleaxe chopping the people who were in front of him as he moved towards Roran and his men. The man looked at Roran and their eyes met for a few seconds before they recognized each other. Roran knew the man was called Malik and that he was King Orrin's best fighter and right hand man, his advisor to all matters.

Malik approached Roran, a smile on his lips. Roran looked at him with anger as he lifted his shield and gripped his hammer with all his strength, preparing for the attack. The two men met and they immediately exchanged blows that would have killed any man in an instant. A loud crash could be heard as the ax of Malik hit Roran's shield and a thud came from Roran's hammer Malik managed to block Roran's blow. Roran shouted and with a curse he kicked Malik on the leg as he avoided another blow that would have chopped off his head. Malik groaned in pain but remained standing as Roran made a circular move that aimed for his head but he changed it at the last moment hitting Malik on the elbow, crushing the bone. Malik screamed in rage and made a thrust with his ax. Roran stepped back to avoid it but stumbled on a dead body and the ax made a large scratch wound on his left arm and leg. Roran rolled on the ground to avoid a further blow and lifted himself from the ground quickly facing his opponent.

"Is that the best you can do Stronghammer?" Malik teased despite the pain emanating from his elbow.

He avoided a spear thrown at him from somewhere and used his ax to injure a man who came too close where the two men were fighting. Taking advantage of the situation and the temporary distraction Roran charged forward and with a yell he rammed his shield on Malik, making him fall. It was an unexpected move and that was exactly his plan. Malik fell on the ground and Roran hit him on the shoulder with his hammer before jumping to avoid the ax that was coming towards him. He immediately attacked again and hit malik another time on his left side this time, weakening his grip on the shield. Roran felt a punch on his face and stomach as he used his weight to pin the ax down on the ground and he responded with a punch of his own. The two men struggled on the ground for several seconds, neither being able to gain an advantage over another.

Malik reached for a small dagger he had and he aimed for Roran's throat but Roran saw it and grabbed his arm, stopping it. He slowly turned the sharp edge of the dagger towards Malik as he twisted his hand and hit him on the elbow and shoulder making him scream in agony.

A large explosion from a building sent them both flying in the air, ending their struggle. Roran slammed on the ground with speed and for a few seconds was disorientated. He knew he had to move for Malik could be coming towards him. However, everything was spinning around him. He felt as if he was drunk in a festival, his legs unresponsive to the commands he gave to them.

Then he saw him. Malik was lying on the ground, heavily injured. From the explosion he had slammed on a wall of a building, and he had a wound on his stomach. His armor was battered and broken by the countless wooden pieces and rocks that had hit it from the explosion. Roran tried to reach him but the Surdan soldiers prevented him, knowing that their commander was in no shape to fight.

Roran stepped backwards, towards his men who had been scattered and shouted for them to regroup. The soldiers responded. He had lost a lot of ground as he was fighting Malik and the strongold had almost been taken by Surdan men. The fight was hopeless and it would be best to retreat and live to fight another day he thought. He ordered for the command to retreat to be heard and they slowly headed towards the exit of the city. He helped his men to fight off the soldiers that chased them as they exited the walls of the city, abandoning it to its fate. Before the last soldiers of Roran exited the city, a large group of soldiers under Horst's command appeared, the second group from the city. The men exited the city as a group of archers threw volley after volley preventing the Surdan men from chasing them. A magician lifted a fog in the air that prevented the Surdans from seeing them.

The city of Dras Leona had fallen as he had expected but the Surdans had many losses while taking the city and it would take some time for them to recover. Roran looked one last time to the city as the proud flag of the white dragon holding the red rose, the flag of the empire, was replaced by the Surdan flag on top of the tallest tower, signalling the fall of the city.

King Orrin looked at the flag being replaced on top of the tower. It was a pleasant sight to see, as another city was conquered by the force of his army. He smiled at his men, opening a bottle of wine as he drank to the victory. He looked at the destruction of the beautiful city and an anger filled him. The other races refused to understand that the land was his and that it fell to his natural rule. His ancestors had ruled over this very land so many years ago and that made it rightfully his. There was no time for celebration. He had lost a long time in this siege, more time than he would have liked. Roran had proven a dangerous foe, costing him many dead soldiers and precious time. Time that he did not have. He would have to rest the army a few days to secure the city but then they would march on Illeria as fast as possible. He looked at the fleeing soldiers one last time, wishing there was a way to kill them but then he sighed. They would have to wait for another day.

Hey, sorry for the late update but I was in summer vacation!. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Eragon chapter next!

In case you want to know more about the story and when the updates are coming you can follow me on twitter: Galinor77


	19. Chapter 19: Alagaesia

A thunder of dragons appeared from within a cloud as their big colorful bodies contrasted with the light blue sky and the light from the sun sparkled on their scales, creating a multitude of colors, like a rainbow. One of the dragons released a loud roar which announced their arrival and the flap of their powerful wings could be heard from afar. The sun warmed the riders as they flew on the back of their dragons, others talking with each other and others looking at the big, ancient trees of the great forrest below them.

The land was fertile, allowing many species of trees to grow and the forrest was only interrupted by a sudden rocky cliff, and a massive river that flowed there. The river begun from Alagaesia and ended in the sea that they had just crossed. It's name was Edda River. A memory came to Eragon of a scene that had occurred almost ten years ago, as Eragon left Alagaesia, to build Du Skulblaka Ramr, the new Dragon city. He saw with his mind again as he left Alagaesia, and everything and everyone he knew in search of a his new home, not knowing when or even if, he will see them again, on board of the Talita, the exact same ship that was traveling below them at the moment.

Eragon was still impressed by the size of the Talita, the ship being able to easily take two small dragons on board or one large one. The elves were trying their hardest to keep the ship at a quick speed, as they paddled their way towards Alagaesia. The ship was completely white, sung by the elves over a long period of time. Every detail of the ship was perfectly made, and the hull of the ship easily pierced the waters of the Edda river. The ship had three big masts upon which were three white sails, which depicted a big red dragon.

The riders had just finished crossing the sea and they were now slowly following the path of the river with the goal of reaching Alagaesia by the end of the day. The blue dragon made a flying pirouette to show her flying prowess and the other dragons quickly followed her example. Eragon grabbed the spike in front of him to maintain his balance as Saphira made another flying maneuver that turned his view upside down. He was wearing a light blue shirt and his favorite pair of brown pants and his sword, Brisingr, was strapped on his hip. A thoughtful expression was on his face and he kept rubbing his right hand, indicating that he was anxious.

_"__Eragon, for the last time, there is no point in what you are doing. You are making my scales itch with your anxiety!"_ Saphira said louder than necessary as she was beginning to worry for Eragon's well being.

_"__I'm sorry Saphira but I can't help it. You heard the prophecy as well as I did, and it clearly stated that I will not be able to return to Alagaesia!"_. An image came to Eragon's mind, a shop full of plants and herbs, Angela the herbalist with her long frizzy hair and her short stature saying a word that described his life. "Wyrda!" she had shouted and the Dragon bones had rolled, Eragon looking with anxiety as the dice rolled on the table and slowly stopped deciding his fate. He listened once again at the prophecy, predicting his long life, his freedom to choose his own fate, the death of Brom, and the betrayal by a family member. Each and every one of these had been fulfilled, one way or the other. Even the epic romance had somewhat been fulfilled, by him meeting Arya and then traveling and spending time with her. They had grown close over this time and there was no doubt in his heart that she was the women he loved, even if the so called epic romance did not have the ending he would have liked.

_"__Look closely at this bone. You can see how its end rests on that of the sailing ship. That is impossible to misunderstand. Your fate will be to leave this land forever. Where you will end up I know not but you will never again stand in Alagaësia. This is inescapable. It will come to pass even if you try to avoid it…_

Saphira remained silent for a few seconds. pondering the issue as Eragon's heart beat faster and faster, anxious of what would occur. Never again the prophecy had said.

_"__Eragon, it is true that many parts of the prophecy have been fulfilled but some have not yet occurred. There is no way that your adventures with Arya can be described as an epic romance. When we left Alagaesia, we thought that we would never see the land and the people again and yet now here we are, a few years later, traveling to Alagaesia. Alagaesia needs our help, Roran and Katrina need our help, and so do Nasuada and Orik and Arya!. I can promise you that as long as there is life in me I will do everything I can to help them, even against the will of destiny."_ Saphira said with a loud and determined voice.

_"__But that is the problem, destiny cannot be avoided. You remember the story Oromis told us, about the father and the son and how he tried to prevent his son's death?"_ Eragon said.

_"__Of course I remember. Yet, we cannot let destiny control the way we live or act. We need to live life at the fullest, enjoy ourselves and love our friends and help them at their time of need. If destiny determines that something is not to be, then so be it, but at least we will know we have tried our best and will be able to move on."_ Saphira told him.

"You are right as always partner of my heart. Thank you Saphira." Eragon said and patted her back lovingly. His thoughts wondered at the words of Saphira, and a sense of calm slowly overcame him. He would just have to hope that he would be able to return to Alagaesia unharmed and that the prophecy had yet to be fulfilled as Saphira had said before.

Arget, Alaina's silver dragon filled the air with smoke as she laughed at a joke that Salador had made and Alaina smiled too. The two riders were growing closer to each other as the days passed. Thrain was talking to Gregorbak about the differences in the civilizations of the Urgals and the dwarves.

Eragon was happy to listen at both these conversations, letting time pass and his mind to wonder away from his previous conversation. He even explained to his students a few of the secrets he had learned through the scrolls he had discovered in Illeria and read in DuSkulblaka Ramr over the years.

Finally, after a few hours and many riddles, Eragon looked at the trees that suddenly stopped, marking the end of the forrest. The ground was green from the grass and the Edda river branched into two ways, one leading north, towards lake Eldor, which was where the Edda river started from, and the other leading towards the Beor mountains. In between, the trading post of Hedarth could be seen. It was mainly used by the dwarves in order to trade with the elves from the eastern part of Du Weldenvarden.

_"It is time"_ Saphira said with a foreboding tone.

Eragon held his breath, but nothing happened as Saphira landed on the eastern side of the river, along with the other dragons. Eragon could not believe it! He was finally back in Alagaesia! The land that had been his home for more than eighteen years, the land that he had grown up in, the land where most of the people he cared about, Roran, Katrina, Arya, Orik, and the others lived in. He jumped on the floor near Saphira, whose head was almost reaching the ground as she breathed heavily from the effort of flying. Eragon kneeled and touched the ground of his former home with his brow. He lifted his head and smiled at the world around him.

The riders next to him also came off the backs of their dragons and lied on the floor or stretched their legs. They would make camp for a few hours, in order to wait for the elves on board of the Talita to reach them. Gregorbak went to the forest to gather wood along with Salador. When they returned, Alaina lit a fire using magic and Thrain cooked the rabbits that he had hunted for the group. Eragon looked at the proceedings, thinking all the while what the best way to proceed would be.

When they had all eaten, Eragon gathered his students and talked to them about the strategy that the riders would follow in the war. He told them that he had talked with Roran, who informed him of the fall of Dras Leona. Nasuada's Empire army was retreating towards Illeria, the capital of the empire. The elves and dwarves were also near the city and would arrive in the next few days to support the city with their numbers. He had also heard worrying news from the elves that there was a threat in the north, near Teirm. The city had been completely destroyed. Eragon was torn between the two options. He could either leave the capital and go to Teirm or he could send a few of his students to investigate. Finally he decided that the threat of King Orrin was bigger than the northern threat. He would travel along with Thrain and Gregorbak to Illeria. However, he did not want to send only one student to investigate the northern threat as it could be something very dangerous and that was why he had decided that Salador and Alaina would both travel north to investigate.

"Salador and Alaina, you will travel north to investigate the threat and the rest will follow me to Illeria." Eragon said.

Salador looked at Alaina for a few seconds and Alaina smiled.

"You must only investigate and if there is any danger you will fly immediately back. Under no circumstances are you to fight it. Do you understand?"

"Yes Ebrithil". Alaina and Salador replied at the same time.

"Very well." Eragon said satisfied.

The students slept for the night, tired from the long journey they had endured, anxious of the war that was waiting for them ahead. Finally, as the sun was beginning to rise, Salador and Alaina began their journey to the North of Alagaesia, while Eragon and Thrain and Gregorbak along with their dragons, flew as fast as possible towards Illeria, the capital of the empire.

Eragon looked towards the vast empty space in front of him, the Hadarac desert, where no plants managed to grow, and no animals managed to live. The desert that was fast approaching, and he felt the heat from the sun on his skin. He heard Saphira roar and the dragons that were with her, answering her call and he smiled as he was back in Alagaesia, back to his old home. He gave Saphira energy from the eldunarya as they flew with all haste towards Illeria, where soon there would be a battle to determine the future of Illeria and of the whole world.


	20. Chapter 20: New Arrivals

A loud cry pierced the silence as the city of Illeria welcomed the new day. The people slowly started to wake for their everyday work, as merchants shouted the qualities of their goods, and men and women walked in the market place to get to their jobs. The market place was in the centre of the city, and people could find a wide variety of products, from agricultural products to odd trinkets found in Alagaesia and anything a person could ever dream of. As usual, the roads were full of carts and two men shouted at each other as they almost had an accident, their faces red with anger as they cursed at each other. A blacksmith was hitting a piece of metal to form it, as a customer entered the building and grimaced at the loud monotonous sound. However, the most interesting movement was the people forming groups and discussing about the war and the impending attack of King Orrin's army. Would the city be prepared enough for the siege on time? Some people were shouting, arguing that the city would never be ready and would fall as the others scolded at them and called them traitors. One of these groups almost broke into a fight as a man pushed another, trying to prove his point. With great hast, soldiers came running and broke the fight before anyone was hurt.

A lone woman walked the streets with care as she looked at the proceedings with interest. She was walking in the street with a proud look, tall and beautiful, with her long golden hair waving from the light breeze. She wore a light green dress, which had the color of her eyes. Everywhere she looked, she saw people talking about the war, the impending attack and arrival of King Orrin, and she felt butterflies flying in her stomach as the anxiety of wether shed would see Roran and if he would survive the war kicked in. She marveled once again at the changes in the city, from the end of the war against Galbatorix. The walls of the city were still strong and impenetrable, and the gates were always guarded by the best soldiers available. In the section near the entrance of the city, there was a large inn called The Broken Wizard, its name a reference to its owner, a old Du Vrangr Gata member who had been crippled during the war. People entered the tavern and exited, singing obscene songs, drinking and eating.

The inn was full but the people from Dras Leona had already arrived and many of these people had been forced to sleep in the streets outside. Children ran around playing as their parents prayed to all the Gods for safety. Still, the new buildings that had been built in the place of the old ruins could still be marveled upon as the small beautiful houses led towards the inner and more rich neighborhoods of the city. Most of the houses were built out of bricks, and their roofs were built with wood. Katrina stopped to admire a beautiful house that had been built on the ruins of an old barrack, its tall brick walls and the beautiful plants in the garden giving it a majestic view. White richly decorated columns had been placed on the entrance and the outer fence of the house had an iron fence that made nice shapely patterns. She opened the door of the house with a key and she closed the door behind her making sure that it was locked.

Katrina had time to admire the expensive living room, decorated with paintings of nature and ships, at the comfortable couches and at the table in the middle, that had on it a small decorative statue of a woman. She wished she had time to relax. A loud scream pierced the silence as Alaina came running down the stairs, her brother Garrow chasing her close behind as they played a game of hide and seek. Alaina arrived first at the wall and Garrow was second.

"You cheated!" Garrow shouted.

"I didn't!" Alaina shouted back.

"You saw where I hid." Garrow accused her again.

"Enough!" Katrina said louder than she wanted to.

She wished Roran was there but he was busy organizing the army and their provisions as well as the defense of the city. He had arrived in Illeria only two days before and he had seen her for a very short amount of time before he had to go. He had not seen them since the early morning.

"Alaina, have you finished studying?"

"Yes mama" Alaina said obediently.

Garrow was already playing with a fake sword, swinging it around the room, making swoosh and clashing noises as he pretended to fight a very skillful sword duel.

"Swoosh cling swish ...I have defeated you king Orrin!" Garrow said imagining the scene.

Katrina smiled and gave her son a hug.

"My hero!" she said kissing him as Garrow blushed.

Suddenly, a series of loud horns could be heard in the distance. People ran out of their homes with worried expressions, thinking that it was King Orrin and his army. Children screamed, women wailed and hid in their homes, locking the doors of their homes. However, a loud cheer was heard after a few minutes from the army on the walls. A few moments passed and suddenly a man came running shouting"The elves have arrived! The elves have arrived!"as he ran as fast as he could to spread the news in the city. People cheered and laughed, blessing High Queen Nasuada for her foresight and the elves for the help.

Katrina left the house along with her children, to go and see the arrival of the elves. Half an hour passed before the elves were outside the gates of the city of Illeria and the people near the gate were pushing each other for the spectacle that they were going to see.

The gates slowly opened and the elves began to enter the city neatly, as if in a military parade. Elven swordsmen in white shining armor, their swords drawn and held in their hands as row after row they entered the city of Illeria, some of them moving their swords so fast that it was almost impossible to see the movement. Elven spear men and bowmen, their weapons ready to be used, marched proudly in the city, their heads held high as they made quick elaborate military formations. A line of elven horses, the cavalry of the elven army, could be seen as the noble elves sitting on them looked at the people in the city, commanding their horses to move only with their minds. Suddenly a burst of lightning and thunder and a wall of fire could be seen as a group of elven sorceresses appeared. Men sighed at their beauty and women scoffed as they slowly passed in front of the humans.

Finally, a green dragon landed from the sky, its powerful wings creating a loud noise and a cloud of dust was lifted in the air as with a flying pirouette it landed right behind the elven army, right after releasing a small burst of green fire that passed harmlessly away from the group of elven magicians. A roar could be heard coming from the dragon and finally it stopped. The dragon looked with its majestic eyes at the people, searching for something. A beautiful elven woman jumped from its back, and landed next to Firnen. She wore a green dress, that matched the scales of her dragon and her long black raven hair were tied in an elaborate way, so as not to bother her while flying. Her bright green eyes and red lips marked her beauty.

Roran Stronghammer, dressed formally, with an elegant white shirt and black pants, his hammer on his expensive belt, greeted the elves with a powerful voice.

"Friends, I am glad you have arrived in the city to fight alongside us honoring your alliance with us. We welcome you in the city with a warm heart! We hope that fighting together we will become a spear in the heart of our enemy, we will defeat the tyrant King Orrin and position Nasuada in her rightful place, as High Queen of the Empire".

His soldiers cheered at his words and Arya walked a few steps before replying.

"We thank you for the trust you have put upon us and it is an honor to fight alongside friends again in a common cause." Arya replied.

"Let us drink, celebrate and be merry for it is a happy day today! To our honorable and loyal friends" Roran shouted and ended the discussion.

Another cheer followed his words and the people waiting in the streets dispersed searching for a tavern to drink and celebrate.

Katrina smiled as she saw Roran hugging Arya breaking diplomatic protocol. The same people that had been worrying endlessly about whether the city would survive the siege were now celebrating and drinking their morale lifted and their worries gone. That was what a true leader of men could do.

Roran tore his gaze from the elves and his men and searched in the crowd and their eyes finally met, a wide smile appearing on Katrina's face. They both looked at each other and slowly made their way through the crowd, Ismira and Garrow following close behind Katrina, and when they met they kissed each other for a long time as a cheer erupted from the humans and elves around them.


	21. Chapter 21: Clues

The wind howled and whistled as it passed through the naked trees of the forest in the mountainous region known as the Spine. The sky was grey and cloudy and small drops of rain had started to fall from the sky, watering the ground that emanated a characteristic pleasurable smell. Two dragons were flying in the sky, one silver and the other yellow, the color of the sun. The two riders shivered from the cold air as it hit their unprotected faces and Salador tried to warm his hands which had numbed from the cold as he covered himself with his furry coat. He then remembered the spell Eragon had taught them to keep them warm and cast it as he felt the continuous stream of energy leaving his body, as the spell started to work.

Alaina was looking at the horizon her hazel coloured eyes searching for the light from the lighthouse of Teirm and the walls of the city. She was also wearing a furry coat and brown travelling pants. The city was still far away, covered by the clouds that were low on the ground and the fog. She looked towards Salador and he averted his gaze after she saw a small smile on Alaina's lips. Salador blushed, mentally berating himself for allowing his emotions for her to show. He had started to like Alaina to the amusement of his dragon Gadaroth, as he had silly reactions when he saw her or talked to her. He would stutter or move his hands not knowing what to do with them, as an anxiety took him over whenever he talked to her. Finally, shaking his head he pushed away such thoughts.

He once again wondered what or who they would find once they reached the city. He remembered Eragon's warning when they split paths. _"You must only investigate and if there is any danger you will fly immediately back. Under no circumstances are you to fight it"._ He did not know the reason Eragon had given this warning or what they were not supposed to fight and this made his heart beat faster. Not knowing was worse than if he knew their enemy, as with his mind he conjured up many horrors that could possibly become their enemy.

_"Whatever happens I still have my new rider sword."_ he thought with satisfaction. Rhunon had forged the sword with the help of Thrain, the dwarven rider and he remembered with a smile the fascination Thrain had developed about forging weapons and his constant visits to Rhunon's forge as he strove to learn the secrets of the old elven weaponsmith. He reminded himself of the promise he had made to the dwarf that he would return for a drink as soon as this mission was over.

_"Don't forget you have me to fight with you"_ Gadaroth, his yellow dragon, said with his deep bass voice that shook his mind.

"_I will never forget that._" Salador said in reply patting him on the neck affectionately. He loved his dragon with all his being. Gadaroth had grown a lot since he had first found him, so many years ago, even if it felt as only a few days had passed. At eight years old, he was one of the oldest dragons and he was a little bit more than half the size of Saphira. Salador still remembered when Gadaroth was little more than the size of a cat, when he had hatched from his egg that fateful day when he was being led for his execution. Instead he had lived and was now a dragon rider. For that, he owed his life to his dragon and he would never let himself forget that.

Suddenly at the edge of his vision, the walls of the city of Teirm appeared. Black smoke was rising from within the city and the smell of burnt wood was carried in the air for miles. Salador and Alaina urged their dragons on and the two dragons flew as fast as they could to reach the city as soon as possible. As the time passed, the city grew larger until finally they could clearly see the ruined buildings inside the city, some fires still burning in some of the roofs while others had collapsed and all that remained was black coal. The large lighthouse had no light, even though a storm was brewing, signalling that something was wrong within the city. The dragons landed outside the gate which had been ruined by an explosion. Salador and Alaina remained alert, both drew their rider swords ready to defend themselves if necessary from whoever attacked them.

The city was dead, nothing moved inside. All Salador could see were the broken bodies and blood of hundreds, if not thousands of soldiers. Black burnt arrows still marked some of the buildings and thrown spears could still be seen lying on the floor. Soldiers could be seen with horrible expressions on their faces as if they had tried to defend themselves from a demon. Pieces of rock had fallen from the walls of the destroyed houses and roofs had collapsed. Salador looked away from the site of the dead soldiers disgusted, and barely contained the contents of his breakfast, as it was raised to his mouth again. Suddenly the bodies stopped and a huge amount of footprints could be seen leading to the centre of the city, as if the soldiers had realized that their only hope was to retreat further in the city. Still, this had not saved them as more bodies could be seen there, and more blood on the ground.

"Who could do such a thing?" Salador wondered aloud. Silence was the only response he got as the dragons and Alaina were still stunned by the amount of destruction in the city.

_"This is very odd. There are only soldiers of one side lying on the ground."_ Gadaroth said after a few minutes of examining the destruction. _"Where have the other soldiers gone?"_ he continued.

"Perhaps there aren't any." Alaina replied. "I have heard of this before, even though I did not think I would live to see it."

_"You mean it was caused by a powerful being?_" Alaina's silver dragon, Arget, said in a surprised tone after examining her thoughts. Silence fell as they all processed her words.

"How powerful must that being be to cause such destruction. It killed the whole city garrison." Salador said in awe. The being had to be at least as powerful as Eragon, if not more powerful.

He looked at Alaina still searching for the culprit among the ruins.

"Over here!" she shouted as she followed a large field with footprints, leading away from the city.

They all came running and saw what Alaina had found.

"Perhaps there were survivors after all." Salador said. "We must go and find them. They will know who did this." he continued.

"No, not yet. The dragons are tired and the weather is bad. We must rest here first." Alaina said quickly dismissing the idea and Salador was forced to agree with her.

"Then will you help me gather some wood?" Salador proposed and Alaina smiled.

"Of course". she replied as they both went to gather wood to prepare a campfire.

"Perhaps we can practice sword fighting too before we sleep." Salador said remembering the bruises he had on his body from their last fight.

"You want to lose again?" Alaina said with a smile. Salador did not reply but he laughed aloud in response.

"I am confident today. I can't let you win all the time anyway." Salador said jokingly.

"Very well. The challenge is on!." Alaina said her brown eyes sparkling with amusement.

They kept talking to each other, not wanting the conversation to end at that.

"What will you do after the war is over?" Salador asked trying to find something to talk about.

"I do not know yet. Many things could change" she said thoughtfully, as their eyes met once again. Salador blushed at that and hid his face trying to cover it with his hand as if he was wiping sweat from his brow.

When they finished gathering wood, they went back to their dragons who were already sleeping from exhaustion. They cooked their food, which they had taken with them as provisions for the trip to Teirm and tried to eat as silent as possible to not wake up the dragons, until their stomachs were full.

Salador lied down near Gadaroth, warming himself with the heat from his dragon's belly and looked at Alaina as she lied down on the floor beside her own dragon, Arget. Before he fell to sleep, he wondered what was happening elsewhere in Alagaesia. He hoped Eragon and the other riders could stop the, until now, undefeated forces of King Orrin, and could find a way to win the war and bring peace back to the land. His gaze finally fell back to the ruined city behind him, and once again he wondered what creature could possibly do so much damage. His thoughts turned to Alaina, glad that he was able to spend some time with her, and his eyes slowly closed, his head relaxed as he finally succumbed to his tiredness.

A loud cracking noise could be heard as if a building collapsed, as Salador woke up with a start grabbing his sword from his side. He unsheathed the sword and looked around in the near darkness. Gadaroth was already moving in a defensive position to protect him from any possible harm, roaring a challenge to whoever had dared disturb his sleep. Alaina and her dragon Arget, were missing and Salador looked around frantically searching for them but he could not see them.

"Alaina!" he shouted as loud as he could, the sound echoing from the walls of the empty houses in the city.

"_Where are they_?" he thought with anxiety.

As if in answer, a loud scream pierced the air and the sound of metal against metal could be heard from within the ruined city, chilling his blood.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!. I really need to find names for the riders swords so if you have any suggestions please post them. Thanks!


	22. Chapter 22: Oath

The city of Teirm which had seemed so empty and dead a few minutes ago sprang to life in mere seconds as the clash of swords and the sounds of shouting could be heard in the night. The first drops of snow had started to fall from the sky and the destroyed houses and trees inside the city were slowly getting covered by a thick white layer of snow. Salador ran through the destroyed gate, anxious to find Alaina as soon as possible to help her. A roar from Arget, Alaina's dragon sounded and he felt the ground tremble as small pebbles fell from the destroyed buildings around him. A blast of heat almost burned him as silver flames from Alaina's dragon almost hit him as her intended target dodged the attack. At the last moment, his wards against magic protected him and the flames passed harmlessly around him.

"Sorry" he heard Arget apologizing and Salador recovered from his shock stopped running to assess the situation.

He saw Gadaroth fly above him towards the sight of Alaina fighting. A man with a deathly pale face and blood red eyes was fighting Alaina. He had a long beard and his dark cloak covered his body almost entirely. His silver-black sword flashed faster than the eye could see as he searched for an opening in Alaina's defense, but her light quick elven speed prevented him from injuring her.

"A shade" Salador thought, afraid and not for the last time, he wished Eragon was there to help them.

He saw Arget and Gadaroth both breathing fire at the shade as he tried to avoid a blow from Lilliä, the sword of Alaina. Suddenly they all froze in their places, trying to gain control of each others minds, locked in a mental struggle. None of the four could move an inch but Salador was free from the shade's control. Perhaps he had not seen him yet, a mistake that Salador was more than willing to correct. He unsheathed his sword and slowly and stealthily he crept towards the shade unnoticed. He hid behind a ruined column of a house for a few seconds, and then lifted himself from the ground and attacked the shade. Salador made a sound of surprise as an inch from the shade's body, Nätt raseri, his sword stopped, unable to continue, but the distraction had been enough for Alaina and the dragons to move in an effort to attack the shade.

"What a pleasure it is to fight such skilled warriors." the shade said ironically with a smile as he kept fighting in the mental struggle.

Salador despaired as for every thought he pinned down and stopped, a hundred more rose, as if he was fighting many people at once. He saw the same despair mirrored in the eyes of Alaina. Time passed slowly in their silent struggle. The shade incapacitated Salador making him unable to move. Gadaroth roared his anger as they had been unable to defeat the shade and slammed his tail on the ground near it making the ground tremble and creating a large gash on the floor. The shade dodged the attack and the momentary release from the shade's hold gave the opportunity to Salador and Alaina to fall back, away for the shade.

_"Magic is our only chance"_ Salador thought and Gadaroth agreed with a nod.

"Surrender to me and you shall live to see another day" the shade said maliciously but Alaina and Salador only intensified their efforts.

"Letta!" he shouted in the ancient language trying to bind the shade in place long enough for them to make a mortal strike at the heart of the shade.

To the surprise of Salador the shade countered the spell wordlessly and created a blast of fire which hit Salador on the stomach knocking him on the ground. His wards had protected him from the fire damage but the attack had been powerful. He had heard Eragon talk about wordless spells but he had stated that they are very dangerous not to be trifled with and needed a great amount of concentration to perform. Yet the shade made a series of wild magic attacks against him and Alaina and all Salador could do was block them and dodge the black silver sword that aimed to behead him.

_"Enough games!"_ Gadaroth stated and with a pounce and a roar he attacked the shade trying to stamp on it and scratch it and bite it. He breathed fire on the shade, hot enough to melt iron. For a few seconds all Salador could see was a large mass of yellow. He heard a cry from the shade and the next second he saw his dragon get pushed in the air as if it was lighter than a pillow and hitting the ground with enough force to break his spine. A building nearby collapsed and a cloud of dust filled the air.

"Gadaroth!" Salador shouted.

The shade lifted itself from the ground with a furious expression its red eyes burning with hatred for the dragon. His deathly white face had been scratched and three large gashes had appeared on its face that oozed dark red tainted blood.

With a sudden motion he attacked Alaina faster than the eye could see but his sword was blocked at the last moment, despite her elven speed. Alaina countered with a motion on the left side of the shade and pirouetted in the air but she missed her target and the shade slashed her on her body, dropping her to the ground motionless.

Salador looked on in horror, feeling a stab of pain in his heart, rage consuming him and controlling his every move. He attacked the shade with all his might, his sword shining in the sun, every move as fast and as unpredictable as the next but his sword was always meeting the sword of the shade. He attacked once more with a shout.

"Push" he said as the shade stumbled away from his partner of heart and mind. Arget was also attacking the shade and in another attack the shade incapacitated them again, making them unable to move. The standoff would have kept going but Arget finally managed to free enough of her mind to yell.

"_Go! I will stay with Alaina to protect her. Find help!"_ she said as she saw Alaina lying on the floor injured.

Salador refused instantly unable to bring himself to leave the woman he loved behind on the battlefield unprotected. However he realized that the more he waited the more likely it would be they would all be captured or killed by the shade. Still he was unable to make himself to leave.

Finally Gadaroth with an enormous effort of will made himself move and grabbed Salador in his talons before flying away from the accursed ruined city and their enemy. He roared his frustration and sadness in the air and a reply could be heard before a series of roars and hits could be heard. The roars ended and Salador saw why as she shade was aiming his sword at Alaina.

"After all this you run away from me Dragon Rider!" the shade shouted in hatred.

"My name is Salador and I am a student of Eragon Shadeslayer, Kingkiller. "

"A strong name for someone who has trained weaklings. What shades has he killed and what kings has he killed?" the shade shouted back.

"He killed the king Galbatorix and he killed the Shade Durza as he will kill you when this is over! I take this oath today, Shade, that I will not rest until your beating heart has been stabbed by his sword. This was just the beginning.!" Salador shouted in anger.

A laugh followed his words, a continuous blood chilling laugh that made him want to turn back. He refused the impulse as he turned away from the shade, away from the woman he loved and away from the destroyed city to get help as he gripped Nätt raseri with all his strength trying to calm down.


	23. Chapter 23: Illiria

The flap of wings was the only sound in the early hours of the morning as the dragons crossed the red, orange sky. Eragon was sitting on Saphira trying to find a comfortable position as he saw the other riders still sleeping on the backs of their dragons, their bodies limp. Thrain and Gregorbak had stayed up late talking about the war and telling stories of their nations to each other, myths and legends which seemed to fascinate them to no end as they both imagined the heroic feats and epic battles in the stories trying to imagine what they would have done if they were in the place of the heroes of old. Eragon had listened with curiosity until at one point he had slipped in his waking dreams. He sighed loudly and hoped that they would arrive in Illeria that day for they had already been a few days late because of a thunderstorm on their way to the city. Saphira and the dragons had been forced to travel through the storm and they had all been exhausted trying to cross it. The fact that they were crossing the Hadarrac desert did nothing to make their trip easier. Eragon had insisted on taking some rest on the ground at a small secluded forest once they crossed the dessert and Saphira had reluctantly agreed. When the storm had passed, the riders had resumed their journey.

A lone stream of water was underneath them as the Ramr River which started from Isenstar Lake near Gilead made a loop around the small peak of Sraten and ended up between the city of Illeria and Dras Leona. The small peak was barren, but animals were there drinking water from the waters of the river. The animals ran away from the shadows of Saphira and the other dragons as they came closer to the small peak. About an hour passed before the southern corner of the peak was visible and Eragon and the other riders, who were now awake and laughing landed with their dragons to assess the situation. There, in the distance Eragon could see the walls of Illeria and a large army, which had banners of King Orrin, who covered the whole plain around the city, surrounding it. There would be no escape if they lost the battle. The city was still quiet, something for which Eragon was glad for as it meant that the battle had yet to start. However, it meant that Eragon and the dragons would have to cross the sky above King Orrin's army undetected which posed a problem. He also needed permission to enter the city as he knew that three dragons appearing suddenly in the sky above the city would cause an alarm at the least.

He looked at the thousands of spears below him as well as the tents of the temporary camp the soldiers of King Orrin had made. It would be good to attack the soldiers when they were not expecting an attack but they would be overpowered by the soldiers if a coordinated attack from the city did not occur. He dismissed the idea as too rash and then with a grunt he climbed off his seat on Saphira as his students did the same. Both Thrain and Gregorbak had bewildered expressions as they saw the soldiers below them.

"Are we supposed to defeat that many?" Thrain said awed with a shocked expression.

Gregorbak lifted his neck and with a weird noise from his neck which Eragon interpreted as a laugh, he accepted the challenge.

Eragon unpacked his bags, searching for the mirror that would let him communicate with Roran inside the city. He knew that he could search for his mind but again a powerful mind such as his would cause an alarm in the city, which he did not want. He found the mirror and with a word the mirror showed an image of Roran as he was studying some maps. Near him his children Ismira and Garrow were playing a game and Katrina was watching over them.

"Hello! Hope I'm not interrupting" Eragon said with a smile.

"Eragon!" Roran said with surprise. "So nice to see you!" he finished.

"Same Roran" Eragon replied.

"Where are you? We are waiting for you." Roran said.

"Actually, that is why I contacted you. I'm right outside the city on the small cliff of Sraten. I can see King Orrin's army from here, and the walls of the city. I did not want to cause an alarm by suddenly appearing in the sky above the city." Eragon replied.

"Rightly so. How are you going to come here?" Roran asked. "We are surrounded."

"Leave that to me Roran. Just warn the guards." Eragon smiled.

"Of course!" Roran said and immediately called for a messenger. When he turned again towards the mirror, the image was gone.

Eragon told his students to become invisible. Thankfully the day was cloudy so there would be no shadow to warn the army below of their presence, otherwise they would have to wait until the night time. When everyone was ready, and back on their saddles, Saphira and the dragons took off.

"_Here it goes_" Saphira stated as Eragon began to worry. Below them, thousands of soldiers continued to do whatever they were doing before, oblivious of the dragons flying above them.

Eragon heard Thrain release his breath, happy that they would not have to fight their way through. It took about fifteen minutes or somewhat more to pass the army below them with full speed and then the dragons slowed down as they approached the walls of the city. The soldiers on the walls were armed, some carrying bows and some spears to throw at the army below them. There was also a unit of swordsmen to help the others in case the soldiers of King Orrin managed to climb the walls. Eragon maintained the spell a while longer until they were already in the city and then released the hold of the spell revealing himself. The same happened with his students and below them, a few shouts could be heard but otherwise Roran had done well to warn the guards. He looked at a few faces of soldiers, still startled by his sudden appearance and the sight of three dragons appearing out of nowhere. Saphira released a puff of smoke as she flew towards the large castle fortress that was where Queen Nasuada had lived.

Strongly built towers and warriors, both elven and human could be seen on the great walls of the castle and a line of elven magicians was waiting in front of the gates. A tall man with richly decorated armor and a brown beard could be seen with a joyous expression. His hard gray eyes were shining with tears and his hand was on the hammer on his waist. Eragon recognized Roran in an instant and lifted his hand in greeting just as Saphira landed in front of them, with a proud pose, trying to control her heavy breathing.

The other dragons landed too near Saphira and soon the riders were on foot, walking towards Roran.

"Roran!" Eragon said as both men hugged each other and slapped their backs with a loud laugh.

"Glad you're back with us" Roran said studying Eragon with his eyes.

"I'm glad too" Eragon replied studying the changes in Roran. When he left Alagaesia, Roran was a young man but now, he was a man in his early thirties, fierce and proud. A small scar could be seen on his cheek and who knew how many more of those there were on his body. Roran realized the direction of the thoughts Eragon had and said.

"We've had heavy fighting against King Orrin's men. Only yesterday, we made a surprise attack on his supply lines, crippling his food capacity." Roran said with a smile.

Eragon laughed with him but then said anyway.

"You should take better care of yourself Roran. Always fight with wards in battles." Eragon warned him.

"I think the teacher in you is taking over." Roran said teasingly but he accepted Eragon's words.

"So these are your students? I have heard so much about them." Roran said looking with an interest at the two riders near Eragon.

The dwarf bowed, his beard almost touching the ground as his small bulky muscular form made an attempt to greet him.

"My Lord it is a pleasure to meet you" Thrain said politely.

Gregorbak on the other hand lifted his head in the sign of respect of the Urgals and saluted, repeating Thrain's words.

A smile appeared on Roran's face at the formality as he replied. He then looked at their dragins and greeted them too in turn, respectfully. When the greetings were finished, he turned with a concerned look at Eragon.

"Aren't there more students? Where have they gone?" he asked with curiosity.

"I have sent them to the North to investigate the attack on Teirm." Eragon answered. He had contacted Salador and Alaina the previous day and all seemed well as they were travelling towards Teirm. A worrying thought took over his mind as he remembered and he made a mental note to contact them again as soon as possible.

Roran looked at him with a surprised expression.

"We need every last man to fight off that army." Roran stated.

"We cannot ignore the threat from the North." Eragon insisted. They looked at each other and then Roran said.

"You are probably right."

A loud sound could be heard as trumpets announced the arrival of an important person. Eragon and Roran turned around and Roran smiled.

"I forgot to tell you, Arya is here". Roran said with an amused expression.

Eragon looked at Arya, walking towards them. Her raven black hair were waving in the air and her green eyes met with Eragon's a sign of recognition in them. She walked proudly towards them, wearing a green elven made dress, a silver crown in her hair. Eragon's heart started beating faster and faster until he could hardly separate the beats. His throat dried and a wide smile appeared on his face as he exclaimed.

"Arya" he said breaking protocol and hugging her tightly lifting her in the air.

"Eragon!" Arya said surprised but a smile appeared on her face.

Eragon maintained the contact for a few more seconds, smelling the scent of pineneedles, Arya's perfume and then he separated himself.

He said the traditional greeting phrases of the elves as he twisted his hand in the manner of respect.

"Arya Drotning, My queen! It is a pleasure to see you again" he said formally clearing his throat after he finished. His students looked on with amused expressions and smiles in their faces.

"It is a plesure to see you too Lead Rider" she said using his title as well. Their eyes met, not breaking contact, in silent communication.

At that moment Firnen appeared, his massive green form filling the space behind them.

"_Eragon! You are finally here!_" he said in a not so diplomatic happy tone.

"_Firnen, I am glad to see you again_!" Eragon replied. He looked at the dragon curiously.

"You have grown much since I last saw you." Eragon said noticing his large size, his massive wings.

Firnen bowed his head and looked deep in Eragon's eyes with his own.

"_So have you_." he replied respectfully.

Eragon looked at Arya again, her green eyes watching him. He understood she wanted to meet later in the day. He wanted to tell her so many things, so many stories but they would have to wait.

Eragon stretched his back and put his hand on Brisingr.

"We have much to do and little time to do so." he said with a loud determined voice as he remembered King Orrin's army, Nasuada getting kidnapped and the losses Nasuada's empire had sustained.

He turned around, his students, Arya and Roran following close behind him as they all went through the gates inside the castle to have a strategic meeting.


	24. Chapter 24: A Magical Night

The castle of Illeria stood tall and proud inside the city, as the light of the sun slowly faded and was replaced by the darkness of the night. Soldiers guarded its gates and archers were posted to protect its magnificent towers from falling in the hands of the army of King Orrin. Four dragons stood outside the powerful gates of the castle challenging anyone foolish enough to pass close to them. The walls surrounding the castle had a grey color, but the walls of the castle itself were wight. The richly decorated wooden door leading inside the room was thick and covered with iron in order to protect against any attempt to open it by force and enchanted against magic. Guards were posted outside the door. Eragon and the riders along with Arya and Roran were having the meeting inside that room about the particular strategy they would use to defend the city. The meeting had been going on for many long hours.

Suddenly the door opened and Thrain and Gregorbak walked out with tired expressions on their faces. A long yawn escaped Gregorbak, expressing his tiredness and Thrain moved his hands in a circular manner while making a cracking noise from his stiff back.

Roran smiled at the two riders as he thought once again of the tactic they had discussed for the battle. He scratched his long beard and dreamt of bed but he already knew that he would not be able to sleep and he had many things to look over the city. He would still pay a visit to Katrina and the children, he thought wanting to at least have a good memory before the battle started. It had been a pleasant surprise having the dragons and riders in the city as they would provide immense help against the army they were facing and they decreased the chances of the city falling. He looked once again at Eragon, wearing his blue tunic and brown travelling pants and having his magnificent sword Brisingr at his waist. He was surprised at the lack of change on his face, as he did not look older from when he had seen him. He had grown a stubble but otherwise he still looked as he did so many years ago. He admired the longevity of the riders as he realized once again what it meant to be able to live forever. For a moment he entertained the idea but then he rejected it. His stomach growled and he realized he was hungry.

"I am so glad you are back!" Roran said again for the fifth time.

Eragon smiled back as he replied "You already said that".

"How was your trip? It must have been difficult traveling all this way." Roran asked remembering his one time he had traveled on Saphira's back. He had been stiff for three whole days after that and he had sworn he would never again fly on a dragon if he could help it.

"The trip was long, but fine. We didn't have much difficulty, except for a sand storm that hit us in the Haddarrac desert a few days ago.

"Dangerous things those sand storms" Roran said aloud as he remembered reading about them.

"I had to modify a spell to protect us from the whip of the sand otherwise there would be nothing left of us" Eragon replied.

Roran grimaced as he pictured that and he realized the potential that spell could have.

"How is Garrow and Ismira?" Eragon asked.

"Bah! Always fighting and chasing each other those two! Between them and the war I barely have five minutes of peace!" Roran said frustrated and then he started laughing as Eragon smiled.

"I'll have to visit them some day". Eragon said.

"Of course Eragon. Perhaps you'll be able to make them have peace, Mighty Kingkiller". Roran replied teasingly as Eragon kept looking at him not making any move to leave. Arya remained seated too.

At that moment Roran realized that everyone had left the room and that Eragon and Arya were intending to talk to each other. A wide smile appeared on his face, unable to hide the happiness for his cousin.

"Well, I must be going but I hope that me and Katrina and the children will see you soon Eragon" Roran said with a wink as he turned and left the room.

"I'll see you soon Roran!" Eragon's reply came from inside the room.

A growing silence fell in the room as Eragon and Arya stood there, motionless like statues, none wanting to break the peace that had followed Roran's exit. Eragon looked at the room around him, his eyes falling on the statues of kings of old that covered the four corners of the room, as if they were watching them. A large bookcase was covering one wall and a table had been put in the middle, upon which a variety of maps had been laid. Big comfortable chairs were around the table and Arya was sitting in one of them.

She wore her green elven made dress and her raven black hair were covering her shoulders. She had put the crown away and she was looking at him with her beautiful green eyes that he had imagined so many times when he was in the home of the dragons.

Eragon remembered when he had left Alagaesia, the long lonely nights he had spent thinking of her while looking at the stars of the sky, and the moon, thinking that these were the same stars that Arya would see if she looked. He smiled at that thought and then remembered the agony he had felt leaving her behind, a desire to leave it all and come back for her, and be close to her, to be able to see her beautiful smile again and make her laugh just as she had done so many years ago. He remembered the terrible pain in his heart and the endless nights Saphira had spent outside his room, checking on him. Now he had finally returned and he was again with the woman of his dreams, the woman that had conquered his heart so many years before, the woman he wanted to spend the remainder of his days with. He realized that the time away from her and the time he had spent thinking of her had not decreased his emotions for her but on the contrary his emotions had become stronger and would continue to do so. He felt lost in those beautiful green eyes and the smile that she had on her face, unable to break the spell, his heart hammering in his chest. He thought of anything he could tell her to break the silence and the ice that had taken over the room.

"How have things been here?" he said at last, with a croaky voice as his mouth had become dry, wanting to begin the conversation in a relaxed manner.

"Things have been busy rebuilding Nasuada's empire and keeping the peace. Unfortunately, all our efforts have been wasted by King Orrin declaring war on Nasuada, cities will have to be rebuilt again, people will die and it will be very hard to recover from this war too." Arya said hiding her expression.

"King Orrin will have to answer for his crimes." Eragon said feeling a familiar anger rising in his chest.

"But we are not here to talk about the war, we are here to talk as friends. It is so nice to see you again Arya!" he said with a smile.

"It is nice to have you back!". Arya replied.

"I bet you didn't miss me that much..." Eragon said teasingly putting a supposed sad expression on his face.

Arya smiled at that and Eragon was lost again at her beauty.

"I missed you a lot Eragon! More than I would care to admit..." Arya replied.

A triumphant smile appeared on Eragon's face and Arya laughed as she teased him about it. The sound of her laughter was like the most beautiful music he had heard.

A few moments of silence followed and then Eragon said.

"I'm hungry after my travels. Would you like to accompany me for dinner?" Eragon asked as his stomach growled to prove his point, making Arya smile.

"Of course Eragon. It would be my pleasure." Arya answered immediately, surprising Eragon and seeming surprised too at her response. Eragon opened the door for her and waited until she passed as he closed the door behind him. They walked towards the exit of the castle, talking about different news.

A few minutes passed as they exited the gates of the castle, a group of guards following close behind them but also at a distance so as not to disturb them. Eragon smiled as he realized Roran must have ordered them to keep close to protect them from harm.

They entered the Broken Wizard Inn, one of the most famous inns of Illiria. The inn was packed with people eating and drinking, talking and laughing and everyone grew serious as they entered. Surprised and awed expressions covered their faces as they realized who he was. Whispers followed their pass and whistles as they sat in an empty table at the corner of the inn. The innkeeper immediately came and took their order and disappeared inside the kitchen.

"You didn't tell me about the new land of the Dragons. You must have many stories to tell." Arya said with a weird expression on her face.

"Of course I will but it will take years to tell you all the details." Eragon said with a smile. Arya laughed at that and happy hearing her laugh, he started to recount how they had arrived in Du Skulblaka Ramr, how he had built the city with the help of the elves, problems that he had encountered and solved. Their food came, and Eragon ate his bowl of fruits and vegetables as Arya did the same with hers as she kept listening to his stories.

"This was right after Salador finished his training with you and arrived at Du Skulblaka Ramr to start his training with me. His dragon Gadaroth had woken up early to search for him as he and Alaina had woken up early and disappeared somewhere. He flew in the sky, making maneuvers and suddenly saw something flying in the sky, low in the ground but it disappeared after a few seconds. Gadaroth saw it a second time and decided to raise the alarm. All the elven guards came running, Saphira woke me up and we flew towards Gadaroth as fast as possible. A small army assembled, me, Saphira, Gregorbak, Thrain and their dragons all searching for Gadaroth and the reason for the alarm. Meanwhile, I asked Blodgharm to check on the eggs to see if they were all right and Blodgharm contacted me in alarm that one egg was missing. We all searched for the intiuder and finally spotted Gadaroth on the ground. We landed next to him and Gadaroth looked at us without moving. He tried to turn but we saw in surprise a small hatchling slowly biting his leg and pawing his leg harmlessly. Gadaroth looked on with a miserable expression as he was wondering what to do with it.!" Eragon said laughing at the last sentence and Arya laughed too.

"I wish I was there to see that." Arya said with mirth.

Eragon had a sad smile on his face. "That was the first and last wild dragon hatching from one of the eggs.". He continued to say stories until he grew tired and the time for the inn to close had arrived. Eragon and Arya left the building as darkness covered them from the night sky.

"Will you walk with me?" Eragon said unwilling to let the night finish. Arya nodded and followed him as he led the way with a confident air towards the walls of the city.

He suddenly had a desire to look at the city from above. He saw the highest tower of the city, tall and grey and he had the urge to get up there. Arya followed him and soon they arrived at their destination. The soldiers in the tower left with awed expressions once he told them who he was and left Eragon and Arya alone.

He looked at the buildings of the city. The houses near the gate were small and poor, as it was clearly the poorer section of the city. Rags were clinging from ropes to dry in the night air and he could still see people begging in the street. A few meters ahead, there was a road leading to the market of the city, where the middle classes lived. He could clearly see the difference as the houses were cleaner and more richly decorated and they were made of stone, not wood, which was a lot more expensive. Finally, the area where the large castle of Nasuada stood, was full of richly decorated large houses, some going up several floors before ending in sharp points that aimed to the night sky. Clay rooftops and small statues or marble columns could be seen in many of the houses, clear indications of the rich status of the people living in them. Each looked like a small castle.

"What are you thinking? You've been silent." Arya asked him with curiosity.

"I was looking at the houses, marveling at the changes the city has had in these few years I have been gone." Eragon replied.

Arya shook her head in understanding. Her eyes turned towards the sky and so did Eragon's as he once again looked at the stars in the night sky. Who knew how many things they had seen, over the million years they had been in the sky, how many wars, ages of peace and prosperity, loves and passions.

"What a beautiful sky" Arya commented looking at the light of the red full moon and Eragon agreed.

He sat on the floor and patted the spot next to him, calling Arya to sit beside him. After a moment of hesitation and Eragon thinking she would refuse, she sat next to him their bodies touching at their shoulders. Eragon shivered at the contact.

He remembered the story Salador had said near the campfire when they were travelling and the thousand similar stories he had heard from the other riders and he recounted them to Arya, liking the way she heard his every word and looked in his eyes with her own beautiful green eyes.

Finally when Eragon stopped, Arya kept looking at him. As she was ready to say something about the story, Eragon felt himself get closer to her. He interrupted her as he put his finger on her lips, and he said her true name, the most precious gift she had given him a gift he would always cherish, making her shiver. He had an urge that he could not control. His mind was screaming in his head to stop as he did not want Arya to get angry but his heart was urging him to go on beating faster and faster until he thought it would pop out of his chest. His face came closer to Arya's and he searched in her eyes for a reaction, a sign that she did not want it but none came. Slowly, very slowly their lips touched and they kissed each other for a time. Her lips were soft and moist as he kissed her, and he knew he would remember this night for a long time. Their lips stayed in contact, kissing again and again.

Finally, Arya broke contact and turned, making it impossible for Eragon to see her reaction but he had already seen her face a deep shade of red, as she blushed.

"I must go Eragon!" Arya said simply and quietly, barely audible as she ran away from the tower as fast as she could.

"Arya! Arya!" Eragon shouted behind her but she did not turn back.

He cursed out loud at his stupidity on acting on his emotions. He blamed himself for not having control over his emotions. He looked at a loose rock and kicked it with all his strength angry at himself. He hoped his endeavor had not ruined the friendship he had with Arya. He tried to control his breathing, his anxiety making his heart beat as fast as possible. He counted withing himself and whole minutes passed before his breathing came back to normal.

He sat down, looking at the night sky, the bright stars twinkling and the red moon in the sky. He saw a star fall from the sky, its way marked by a white line on the dark sky. He made a wish smiling at himself. Whatever had happened could not be changed. He had made his decision and now he would have to live with it. His words were final and he felt the familiar beating in heart as he thought of Arya once again as he kissed her at the very same spot a few minutes ago.

_One thing is for sure_ he thought.

The night was magical and he would never be able to forget it. He continued looking at the sky, for the whole night, lost in his thoughts, in his love and his misery as tears covered his eyes at Arya's reaction at the same time as the night sky and the red moon slowly gave its way to the bright day and the sun.


	25. Chapter 25: Battle of Illiria

The city of Illiria was quiet in the early hours of the day, as the sun began to rise in the blood red sky, spreading its warmth to the waiting soldiers guarding the walls. The city was surrounded by the army of King Orrin and already the generals were ordering soldiers around, signalling that an attack on the city would come. Roran looked at the vast army he would have to fight and assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy. He looked at the sea of spears in the distance. Some were steady as trees, but some were wavy as the soldiers who held them were fearful of what would come. The enemy had the swordsmen and spears in the middle, as a line of horses was behind them, waiting for the doors to be broken. The heavy armored knights sat on their horses, looking at the city. Archers could be seen at the two corners of the army, as they were waiting for the order to begin the attack. Roran could do nothing but wait. He looked once again at the defenses of the city. He had not prepared the city as well as he had prepared Dras Leona for the attack, but the time he had, had been less. He looked once again at the soldiers near him, as he passed in front of them, one last time to boost their morale.

"General!" he heard many of them say as Roran passed in front of them, clapping some on the back, and calling them by their names, each and every one of them. He even told a joke to an old soldier, that made the people around them laugh aloud.

Finally, he saw a distant figure which could only be King Orrin shout an order, and as one, the soldiers of Surda begun the attack on Illiria.

Roran saw a line of spearmen run towards the city as a volley of arrows was released to prevent them from reaching it. Many soldiers fell, but hundreds of others took their place as they slowly covered the ground to the city. Thousands of arrows whistled towards the running soldiers and two answering volleys killed many soldiers on the walls while the rest of the arrows bounced harmlessly on the walls. Three large battering rams approached the walls, pushed by Surdan men.

A loud roar could be heard and Roran smiled as he saw Saphira, Sphinx and Felangoud fly above them and releasing tongues of fire that burned thousands of soldiers, killing them instantly. A groan released from the mouths of the Surdan men when they saw the three dragons and a cheer rose from the defenders as they saw them fly above their heads. Thousands of arrows were released aimed at the dragons but they all were deflected and thrown towards the Surdan men.

Great booming sounds could be heard from the gate as the soldiers of King Orrin tried to break the door of the main gates with a battering ram, while the soldiers defending the city shot arrows at them with their bows, killing many of them. A large pot of boiling oil was thrown and the soldiers of King Orrin were cooked in their armors as a soldier shot an arrow with fire, burning them.

Surdan soldiers were trying to climb the walls, using stairs and Roran and his men fought them desperately to prevent them from taking the walls.

Roran crushed the skull of a huge man and fell flat on the floor to avoid a flying ax, as it was ready to cut his throat. He quickly lifted himself and crushed the arm of a swordsman with all his strength, as the man screamed in pain, before he was killed with another blow. He ran towards a man who had climbed the wall and was throwing the flag of the empire down and hit him on the head, the sick crushing sound making him wince. He looked at the bloody headed man and he felt a weight fall on him as a sword passed near his leg, almost cutting it in half.

"Saved you again General!" Alarik said with a smile as he stabbed a man with his sword.

"Still alive are you?" Roran asked knowing the strength of Alarik in the battlefield. There were very few men who could defeat him in battle.

"Someone has to bring Katrina the bad news" Alarik replied as he avoided a blow with his shield and then stabbed the man who had hit him. "Preferably a handsome man". Alarik said and Roran snorted.

" You have a vivid imagination Alarik. But no sane woman would go out with the likes of you." Roran countered.

"Hmmm, we shall see General." he said just as Roran turned his eyes on him, not knowing whether he should be angry.

"I'm just joking of course." Alarik said as he threw a dagger at a man coming towards them.

Roran tackled Alarik on the ground and protected him with his shield as someone tried to stab him in the back. He smashed a man's chin with his hammer.

"I guess I deserved that..." Alarik said lifting himself from the ground.

"I saved you, you fool! Now we're even!" Roran said and Alarik smiled.

"General." he said as a look of wonder came over his face.

A line of men fell instantly on the ground as a Surdan magician was killed, as one of the riders killed them with a single word.

"For Surda!" a general shouted lifting his sword just as an arrow protruded from his neck, killing him.

Thousands of soldiers were injured and killed trying to defend the gates. For many hours, the two armies fought and clashed with each other, until finally with a loud cracking sound, the massive doors leading inside the city opened with a crash, as part of the door broke from its hinges, dropping on a few soldiers, crushing them. A wave of Surdan soldiers crashed on the ranks of the defenders as they fought desperately to fend off the attack.

Saphira landed in the middle of the gate, the two dragons right behind her as they breathed fire, burning Surda's soldiers as they entered the city. Spears were thrown towards them but they stopped from an invisible force.

Eragon jumped from his seat and quickly slashed at a soldier who was trying to injure Saphira, drawing Brisingr, his magnificent blue sword. Arrows whistled past his majestically crafted silver, gold armor and an enchanted arrow pierced his shield right in the middle, as Eragon lifted it and another pierced his arm, as it passed through his defenses. Eragon moved quickly for he did not know how many more enchanted arrows there were, and he had no desire to find out.

Angry at the sudden pain on his arm, he shouted "Brisingr!".

Blue flames engulfed his sword, as it slashed through two soldiers, without any resistance. He saw another line of soldiers fall as they were swiped from Saphira's tail and another was kicked by Saphira's paw and fell many meters away.

Behind him Thrain and Sphinx were fighting with a group of soldiers, while Gregorbak had been separated from his dragon Felangoud and was using magic against a group of magicians, trying to defeat them. Eragon cleared a path towards their group and with a loud "Ha!" He scared one of the magicians.A few seconds later the magician fell dead from a spell. Eragon slashed at the two remaining magicians with his sword. After a few strikes, the barriers around one of the magicians broke and the magician died with a slash from Eragon's sword. The final magician tried to run away, but distracted as he was, his mental defenses were weak and easily broke. Soon after he too died.

Eragon searched with his mind for Arya but he could not find her. He saw elves fighting in the distance, their speed faster than any human could hope to achieve, and their athleticism and ability to use magic, made them a formidable opponent for the soldiers of Surda. Huge fireballs, spears of ice and roots grew from the ground, as the elves made spells to kill the soldiers attacking them and protect themselves from harm..

Still, the soldiers defending the city started retreating further inside as more and more soldiers of Surda entered the city. Eragon fought hard against the tide of the army. A group of ten soldiers surrounded him, their swords drawn, their shields lifted as they took cautious steps towards him. Another group of ten soldiers came from the other side and five archers with enchanted bows and arrows appeared. Eragon and Saphira exchanged looks and with a nod, Eragon attacked one group and Saphira the other. Arrows flied past Eragon as he ducked behind his shield covering his body. He felt two points in his arm in pain, where the arrows from the second group had hit Saphira's wings and a loud roar.

A second answering roar came from behind them and a large green dragon appeared in the sky. Firnen flew as fast as possible and released a breath of green fire on the soldiers before landing next to Saphira. Eragon attacked a soldier trying to throw a spear and killed him. He looked as Arya landed on the floor next to him. She wore a white elven made shining armor, and she was carrying her green sword Tamerlein in her hand. Her long black hair had been tied so that they were not loose and would not bother her or cover her eyes while sword crown of the elves sat on top of her head, majestic and simple at the same time. Eragon smiled and greeted her. Arya smiled back. Before they could talk, they were attacked again by the two groups and Eragon and Arya fought against them together. Eragon smiled, happy that she seemed to have forgiven his actions from the previous night . He had no desire for their friendship to end and he was happy that her reaction had been positive.

"I wanted to apologize for yesterday." Eragon said knowing that it was not the best of times to do it.

"Eragon I..." she replied but before she could finish, another group of soldiers came towards them, and Eragon focused his attention on them.

Roran saw a group of soldiers approaching that wore different armor than the others. They had proud expressions on their faces as they walked, and richly decorated armors. He recognized the man walking in the middle of the group immediately. King Orrin had an expression of disgust on his face and was looking arrogantly at the city around him as his soldiers were fighting the defenders. His face had been marked in the fighting and his eyes were filled with hatred.

Their eyes met and immediately a great anger filled King Orrin as he saw Roran. He quickly cleared a path towards him, just as Roran did the same. The two commanders of the huge armies assembled in the battlefield met. At first their reaction was cautious as with slow, calculated movements they measured their opponent, but then King Orrin's arrogance took over.

"We finally meet" King Orrin said as he attacked Roran with a quick move of his sword.

Roran blocked the blow with his shield and instantly charged Orrin with his hammer but his blow was easily blocked by King Orrin.

"Tell Malik, I send my regards." Roran said with a smile as he immediately turned to block a furious blow from Orrin.

"Yes, an unfortunate set of events, but he is eager to settle his accounts in the battlefield today." King Orrin answered, panting as they were both searching for an opening.

A loud horn could be heard as the dwarves finally reached the city, the dwarven warriors, bringing a boost to the morale of the defenders, as the strong sturdy dwarves hacked their way in the ranks of the Sudan men with their axes and their short swords. The large dwarven army, with their armors shining in the sun, their axes held high and their spears hacking in the ranks of enemies were a fearsome sight to behold for the Surdan soldiers, despite their short stature.

King Orrin looked at the dwarves with an annoyed expression. Orrin was a skilled swordsman. He sighed aloud. Finally, when he was ready, he made a move to attack Roran from his left side but immediately changed and hit Roran on his right shoulder, marking it with blood.

"It seems first blood is mine" King Orrin stated.

Infuriated, Roran attacked and smashed King Orrin's shield with his hammer, his blows so strong they made a large dent on the iron.

"Easy there!. Now I'll have to repair the shield!." King Orrin said mockingly.

Roran wanted nothing else than to wipe that arrogant smile from his face. He attacked Roran and tripped him with his right leg. As Orrin fell on the ground, Roran smashed Orrin's right arm, his sword arm with all his strength breaking the bones. A look of shock passed over Orrin's face as Roran tried to attack him again to finish him off.

"Take that you arrogant fool!" Roran shouted as he hit him once more on the stomach and once on the bones of his chest. Orrin tried to protect his face with his shield and finally managed to roll over. Before Roran could react, Orrin threw sand on Roran's face, blinding him momentarily.

"A new trick I learned from Martland." King Orrin said as he stabbed Roran on the leg, as he was moving away to a safer position. Roran shouted in pain. Roran retreated as with his left hand he cleared his eyes while with the right he made circular movements with his hammer to prevent any attack. The two opponents looked at each other hating what each one represented. Two bodyguards of Orrin attacked Roran, and with a quick blow, he injured one and avoided the blow of the other, but that gave time to Orrin to stab Roran on the left arm, aiming at his heart.

A loud shout could be heard as Alarik appeared, holding a mighty mace he had gained in the battlefield, his huge muscular hands waving the mace in circles, breaking anyone who was in range of the weapon. With a circular movement, he killed one of the bodyguards, while the other retreated to avoid the blow,

"Thought you need a hand General" he shouted as he passed near Roran. As he disappeared from sight, Roran heard him shout as loud as he could, as if they were in a competition

"By the way that's the third time I save your life!"

Roran chuckled as he turned around to face King Orrin again. He ran towards Orrin, rolling over to avoid a blow from King Orrin's sword, as he managed to hit Orrin on the knee, making him fall on the ground. Another blow from his hammer hit Orrin on the shoulder as Orrin cut a large gash on Roran's leg. They both fell on each other, exchanging punches, strong enough to kill a man, as they rolled on the floor, trying to gain an advantage. King Orrin's bodyguards ran to help their king, while Roran's soldiers, seeing their General in danger, ran and fought even harder to help him. A loud shout could be heard from the defenders as they saw Roran in danger. Roran and King Orrin were finally separated after many blows.

A large gash was on King Orrin's side as Roran had managed to put a dagger there, but Roran too had suffered a few injuries. King Orrin was gravely injured. Orrin looked at his injury with fury and disgust.

" Another day, Stronghammer!" King Orrin stated as his unit retreated.

Seeing their commander run away from the battlefield, the Soldiers of Surda lost heart, and many more followed King Orrin, as they strove to exit the city along with their commander. The sight of Orrin running away, and the fact that more defenders had arrived, in the form of the dwarves made them retreat.

The defenders cheered, as they saw the enemy retreating, and chased them, gaining new courage and heart from the sight of the fleeing enemy. The dragons burned many soldiers who ran away. The Surdans were fighting for every inch of the city, the defenders were taking back, from house to house, from door to door, until finally, the last of the Surdan men exited the destroyed city gates.

Eragon looked at the retreating army of King Orrin as the Surdans ran away and were chased by the soldiers of the city. Saphira roared a challenge and burned another line of soldiers before she landed on the bloody floor, tired and exhausted. Soldiers cheered from the walls of the city. Eragon jumped on the ground, and lied on the floor, next to a destroyed building, tired from yet another battle in his life. He wondered when they would end and he would be able to live in peace. His eyes fell on Arya, the love of his life, and a smile covered his face as he thought of her. She saw his smile and smiled back. Before Eragon could say anything, she turned and walked towards the elven army, the elves bowing at her approach. It had been a great victory. The humans started celebrating and the dwarves stamped their feet on the ground and hit their shields with their weapons as the elves watched silent in their neat, perfectly formed ranks, as if they had never participated in the battle.

"Roran, Roran!" the humans started shouting the name of their general as Eragon and the riders joined them in their shout. The three dragons roared their approval and the dwarves stood proudly as Roran passed in front of them.

"It has been a great honor fighting alongside such noble races, the magnificent Elves, the strong Dwarves and the courageous Humans. What a story to tell to the kids! Drink, Drink for this has been a great victory for Nasuada's empire and our cause!. May we always have victories like this and may King Orrin drown in his own blood! To victory!" Roran shouted and immediately the other soldiers cheered their approval.


	26. Chapter 26: Celebration

The General of the Empire, Roran Stronghammer, was in the streets of the city, after the end of the battle for Illiria. For hours, the soldiers had worked after the battle to clean the streets of bodies, burying the dead or burning their bodies. He had ordered hundreds of soldiers to patrol the city for an impending attack as the others were healed from cuts and injuries, many lives saved in the process. He looked once again at the tired soldiers around him, others sitting on the ground exhausted, while others were barely able to hold their weapons. They had won a great victory against the army of King Orrin. He was very proud of their achievement and he realized that if he was in their position, he would want a speech to boost the morale even more. As their leader, the task fell upon him. His throat dried at the thought, but after all the dangers he had faced that day, the speech seemed harmless. With a loud voice he praised his soldiers.

"It has been a great honor fighting alongside such noble races, the magnificent Elves, the strong Dwarves and the courageous Humans. What a story to tell to the kids! Drink, Drink for this has been a great victory for Nasuada's empire and our cause!. Today we have won a powerful enemy, an undefeated enemy in this war. We have bloodied their noses and have left them in the dust! May we always have victories like this and may King Orrin drown in his own blood! To victory!" Roran shouted lifting his hammer, red with the blood of their enemies and immediately the soldiers cheered their approval with loud voices, clapping each other on the back, and hitting their weapons on their shields. The dwarves hit their legs on the ground, making a great noise, while the elves smiled and did the gesture of respect.

Roran smiled like a little child, laughing as his fellow soldiers grabbed him, lifted him and threw him in the air, catching him as he fell.

"Roran, Roran!" the soldiers shouted his name. A soldier came with a large bucket of mead and emptied it over their general as the others cheered and laughed, from the appalled expression on Roran's face.

"What a waste of good mead!" Roran shouted and with that he demanded a glass to be filled from an open barrel, to the enjoyment of his soldiers. Women came out of the houses and began to sing and dance and the men joined them as they celebrated their great victory over their enemies.

Dwarves joined the celebrations as they sang their ancient dwarven songs. They began drinking mead with the humans, dancing and singing and dancing again.

Roran smiled at the people around him as he entered the _"Broken Wizard Inn"_. The tables were full of people, sitting, waiting for food, and drinking as he had suggested. He could hear singing and a cacophony of voices as everyone talked at the same time. A hand shook his arm and Roran left his reverie as he saw Alarik .

"Drunk already General?" Alarik asked him with a big smile on his face.

"You wish." Roran said laughing.

"Good, then you won't have a problem for a little game of Bras de Fer ?" Alarik asked .

"Anytime, anywhere" Roran answered and sat on an empty table as Alarik sat opposite him.

"The best of three rounds. Every round someone wins, he drinks a tankard of mead, and when he loses, he drinks two tankards." Alarik explained as Roran looked at him surprised. "You didn't think I'd give you an easy challenge?" Alarik asked.

"Of course not. Whoever loses the game pays for all the drinks." Roran added with a smile.

"Deal." Alarik answered after some thought.

Alarik cleared the table in front of them as they prepared for the game. He put his hand on the table just as Roran put his, as they struggled against each other for a whole minute. The two opponents were evenly matched. Alarik won the round as Roran felt his shoulder give way.

"A good try, General." Alarik said as he ordered the drinks.

Roran drank thew two tankards of mead, his share after losing, feeling a bit lightheaded as he finished the tankards.

They struggled again as more and more soldiers gathered around them, to cheer them on. Roran's hand almost touched the table but then with an effort of will, he pushed Alarik's hand and slowly lifted it towards the other side. This time Roran won the round.

"I can't let you win every time!." Roran said lifting his shoulders apologetically, smiling at Alarik as soldiers cheered.

More rounds passed until finally the score was even and one final round remained to determine the winner.

"I hope you're ready to pay the bill!" Roran stated.

"Perhaps you don't know me that well after all, Roran!" Alarik replied with a determined expression.

"I bet a hundred crowns I will beat you!" Roran stated.

"Two hundred!" Alarik stated, as every soldier made a bet, large sums of money being gathered.

They put their hands on the table and struggled against each other, huffing and puffing, soldiers cheering them on. Every time someone had the advantage the soldiers cheered. For several minutes they struggled, neither one willing to let the other win. Finally with a loud shout, Roran won the round, his shoulder aching, his muscles felt torn.

He lifted himself from the table and slapped Alarik on the back, laughing as soldiers clapped and cheered.

"Better luck next time brother." he said as he lifted his mug shouting in celebration.

Alarik laughed and looked amused at his general, happy that he was as lucky to be led by a leader like Roran, and more importantly, counting him as a friend. He lifted himself from the table too, following Roran.

Eragon was sitting at a table in the Broken Wizard Inn. He watched with a smile as Roran won the game with Alarik, both of them drunk, as they struggled to walk straight, singing. He remembered the celebrations they had in Carvahall, so many years ago, when they were both simple farmers, when the villagers gathered to celebrate. He was sitting with Gregorbak and Thrain, in a table as men passed and congratulated them for the battle. Drinks came to their table, gifts from the innkeeper, as men sang and danced in the tavern.

King Orik found his way to the table of Eragon as he had got rid of his shiny gold armor, and his silver helmet, with the ingeitum star. His brown beard had grown a bit, and he had a joyous expression on his face as he saw Eragon.

"Eragon, mine Brother!" he shouted and Eragon lifted himself from the table as they hugged and slapped each other on the back.

"Orik, its so good to see you!" Eragon replied.

"I thought I would never see you again" Orik said, mentioning the fact that Eragon had been adopted to the clan ingeitum.

Eragon smiled and a wide grin covered his face.

"I have such a long time to celebrate with you and talk to you! You care to join me for some drinks Eragon?" King Orik said as he drank a cup of mead.

"Of course Orik! We can catch up." Eragon answered as Orik grabbed a cup of mead and drank it.

"Aaah good stuff." Orik said sighing after he finished his cup and burped.

Eragon smiled in response, not expecting that to happen.

A band of humans and dwarves started singing a song Eragon had never heard before and Eragon was surprised at the lyrics for he found out it was about himself.

_Our hopes have been lifted from the brave Eragon,_

_For his great dragon Saphira has finally been born!_

_Let's raise our flagon to the great blue dragon!_

_Saphira the mighty, who shines so brightly_

_All Hail Eragon! The killer of the dark king!_

_Who'se bravery and courage, victory shall bring!_

_Let's drink to their health, to a long and great life_

_May they get old as the mountains,_

_and may Eragon find a wise and beautiful wife._

_Let us drink like fountains for this fate to befall_

_Eragon Shadeslayer, the best of us all!_

_Drink mead and beer for today we have won!_

_Another dark king is finally gone!_

_King Orrin has lost, his men lie in blood!_

_The Black horse of Surda, lies down in the mood!_

Eragon laughed and raised his cup as he drank his cup of mead, true to the lyrics of the song. Tears filled his eyes, as the song reminded him of his war against Galbatorix, and what he had lost. As the song finished, he raised his cup to be filled once again to the merriment of the soldiers around him, and a loud sound was heard as Saphira took a barrel of mead, the innkeeper had given her, and emptied it in her stomach. Black smoke could be seen as she breathed.

_"This is a really good drink."_ Saphira commented, making Eragon smile.

_"Indeed, the taste is not too bad."_ Eragon commented

Saphira's only response was lifting another barrel and drinking it.

Eragon saw Orik, laughing and singing the song with the others. When things calmed down a little, they talked about the home of the dragons, and Eragon mentioned the dwarves who had come to help build and live in the dragon city.

"I am glad everything has worked in favor for you, Eragon" Orik said with his bass voice.

Eragon heard him but was distracted by a sight in the inn. Arya was walking towards him. She was still wearing her elven made, shiny, white scaly armor, and on her hip was her green sword Tamerlein. Her long black hair were loose, covering part of her face, but her green eyes were shining as she looked at Eragon and Orik drinking her red lips forming a smile. She walked towards them, slowly and Eragon's face was lit by a big smile.

Arya walked towards Eragon and Orik who were sitting at a table in the Broken Wizard Inn. Eragon was still wearing his shining silver armor, a wide smile on his face as he saw her coming. His brown eyes were shining as he looked at her. His sword Brisingr was on his hip and he ws slowly drinking from a mug of ale. Arya had been surprised by the stubble on his face but at the end she decided she liked the change.

"Arya" Eragon said, greeting her with the sign of respect, as Arya did the same.

"So nice to see you here." Eragon said, a deep shade of red covered his face as the song he had heard before, started again.

"It is nice to see you too Eragon." Arya said smiling. "And you too King Orik." Arya greeted him in turn.

"What great company!" Orik shouted and slammed his hand on the table for more mead to come.

Eragon laughed and Arya smiled as Orik drank more of the mead.

"Between you, Roran and Alarik, I don't know who would win a drinking match." Eragon commented.

A smile appeared on Orik's face.

"We shall have to try sometime, to find out the answer." Orik stated.

"I'll go find out why that maid is taking so long." Orik stated and left the table, winking at Eragon as he left him alone with Arya.

"I brought a gift." Arya said as she revealed a small bottle filled with a clear liquid. She smiled at Eragon and opened the bottle.

"What is it?" Eragon asked.

"It's Faelnirv, our elven drink." Arya answered as she filled Eragon's cup with it and then her own.

"Cheers!" she said as they clung their cups together. Eragon drank the content and Arya did the same. The Faelnirv left a nice honey like taste in her mouth, and her throat burned as the alcohol went down.

"It's quite strong." Eragon stated.

"I made it by myself." Arya said.

"Thank you." Eragon replied as he looked at her green eyes.

Arya remembered the night before the battle, when she had met Eragon on that tower. She had a lot of fun listening to his stories from the home of the Dragons, and she had realized that Eragon had become more mature because of his responsibilities as a teacher and as a Lead Rider. They had passed a long time together, just as they did so many years ago, when he comforted her and they were able to talk freely. An image came to her mind of Eragon saying her true name, as she shivered and she had the same reaction. She had given Eragon her true name, a sign of trust, a sign that she considered him to be very close.

She remembered Eragon when he was leaving Alagaesia, a conversation they had under the largest tree in the forrest. She had stated that it was not possible for them to be together, because his duty was to lead the dragons, and her duty was to be queen of her people, the reason she had made the yawe sign on her back, the reason she had carried the egg for so many years. She was defined by duty, and her duty was to be the Queen of the elves.

An image came to her mind of Faolin, the elf she had grown to love before the war. He had been killed in the attack for Durza, and she had felt her heart stop, as if it had died alongside him. She remembered the nights she had spent playing the same scene again and again in her mind, trying to think of any possible way she could have saved him, but his fate had been sealed. She had lost the person she loved and she did not want that to happen again.

Eragon had met her and he had grown fond of her, and he loved her. It was clear that he still had feelings for her, and the truth was that Arya had begun to feel the same way as she had felt for Faolin for Eragon. She thought of the way he had comforted her, and talked to her, the images he had made for her, the times they had spent together. She did not want to let herself fall in love with someone else, only for him to be taken away from her again. She would not be able to live and smile again if that happened for the second time and that was why she had refused Eragon so many years before. She reminded herself of the kiss she had shared with Eragon on top of the tower, under the stars and she blushed as she covered her face with her hair to cover it. She doubted Eragon noticed as he was busy drinking his faelnirv.

She remembered the attraction she had felt that night.

_"Perhaps in time, if your feelings are the same"_ Arya had said so many years ago and now it was clear Eragon was feeling the same way as he had. She had run away from the tower and she felt trapped. Trapped between losing Eragon because he felt that she was ignoring him, and his emotions, or losing him by a game of fate, like she had lost Faolin. Scared she had run away from the tower, away from what could have been, away from the man who loved her

"Don't drink too much or we might see the Queen of the Elves dancing" Eragon teased.

"Look who is talking." Arya countered and Eragon laughed.

"What do you mean?" he said with a fake innocent face as Arya smiled in response.

"I have a gift for you too." Eragon stated as Arya lifted her eyebrows.

"What is it?" Arya asked.

"Follow me" Eragon said and lifted himself from the table as they finished the last of the Faelnirv. Arya saw Eragon stumble and she caught him from his arm.

"Watch out." Arya warned him.

"Thanks Arya." Eragon said. He slowly exited the tavern, passing by Roran and Alarik, singing an old tavern song. Thrain joined them, singing and Gregorbak looked on in amusement at the proceedings, laughing.

Arya followed Eragon outside the Inn, as he walked towards Saphira and Firnen. They had both drunk a lot of barrels of mead, and were asleep outside the building. Eragon walked carefully, as he searched his saddlebags for something.

Arya smiled as she thought about Firnen and Saphira. The ten years that Saphira was gone, Firnen had not stopped asking questions about her, details about battles Saphira had fought, questions Arya did not know the answer to. Firnen was fascinated by Saphira.

"Ready?" Eragon asked and Arya sighed.

"Here it is" he said opening his hands. On one hand, he had a blue gold flower, which was taller than she remembered from their trip in Alagaesia. The blue petals were a deeper shade of blue, and the gold mark inside was brighter, as if molten gold had fallen on the leaves. A pleasant smell came from the flower and Arya sniffed at it with satisfaction.

"Thank you so much Eragon." Arya said, her affection returning and feeling her cheeks blush. "It really is beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it. It took me quite some time to perfect it." Eragon said mischievously.

"Theres something else..." Eragon said. "I was trying out the techniques I learned from Rhunon, by creating a sword of my own for one of the riders. The experiment didn't go as planned." Eragon said with a smile, an image of a big fire rising and almost burning him was played in Arya's mind. "But I did manage to create this." Eragon said showing her his hand.

On it, was a long silver necklace, shining in the light of the dying sun. A shape of a silver blue heart could be seen, as the light shone on it. The blue part of the heart was made by the same material as the pommel of Brisingr, a way to store energy for the elves. The silver part was shining, and had a small inscription in gold, of her name.

Speechless, Arya took it in her arms and examined it as a smile appeared on her face.

"I know it's nothing fancy." Eragon stated, dancing from one leg to the other.

"It's beautiful." Arya replied her eyes filling with tears. Her hands unclasped the necklace and slowly she put it on her.

"It marks your beauty even more." Eragon said and turned away embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Eragon stated.

"It's...fine" Arya replied as she sat on the floor with a thoughtful expression. Perhaps she was being too harsh to Eragon, perhaps her duty as a Queen did not stop her from being with him? Perhaps they could be together.

"Are you well?" Eragon asked her concerned.

"Yes, Eragon. Thank you so much for the gifts. I am only...tired from the battle." Arya searched an excuse. She needed more time to think, to find out her feelings for Eragon.

Eragon lied down next to her, his eyes searching hers. Finally he sighed and he sat next to her, seeming to understand what she was thinking. He talked about the home of the dragons, building the great library in the city and studying the great tomes he had brought with him, containign the secrets of the Riders. He talked about being the Lead Rider, about how glad he was he could see his friends in Alagaesia again, his cousin Roran, King Orik, herself and Katrina. He talked about Saphira, about the dragons of the other riders and their training. He was proud of them all for surviving their first battle. He talked about his concern for his students, what Saphira had replied when he told her of his worries, about stories he had heard and legends he had learned. Arya listened to him, happy that she was with Eragon, happy to listen to his voice, to learn his thoughts and listen to his stories until finally her waking dreams took her, with Eragon still talking besides her, opening his heart to her, as she thought about how she felt for him.

Hey Guys and Girls! I just wanted to wish every one a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year with your families and friends! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'll update as soon as I can


	27. Chapter 27: A Captured Rider?

A light cold breeze of air passed through the buildings of Illiria, carryng with it the smoke from the multiple fires in the city. The walls of the city had fallen in some parts, and the main gate of the city had been destroyed in the fighting. Houses had crumbled and were still burning. Men were working tirelessly to remove the bodies. The city was slowly returning to its everyday routine, and the people in the city looked happier, more confident that they would be able to survive and win the war.

Eragon woke from his dreams, staring at the bright blue sky, laying on the ground where he had slept, near the woman he loved, Arya. The previous night, he had been talking to her, telling her of things that were in his mind for a long time. She was one of the very few people he felt he would be able to do just that and he felt thankful that he had ever met her. He turned his head and looked at her.

Her raven black hair was spread on the ground, her short calm breaths betraying the fact that she was still dreaming. Eragon felt a wave of affection for the beautiful woman next to him, and he noticed that Arya was shivering in her sleep. Moving slowly, trying not to wake her up, Eragon covered her with a warm blanket smiling as Arya moved in her sleep. For a few minutes he lied still, not wanting to make a noise to wake her up. Then he turned and tried to lift himself from the ground.

A wave of dizziness overtook him as instinctively he knelt again on the ground until it was gone. His stomach was feeling awkward, after all the alcohol he had the previous night.

_"I'm sure Saphira drank enough for the both of us. I'm never drinking again_" he said complaining, taking deep breaths.

_"A bit of exercise might be what I need to counter the effects._" Eragon thought.

At the thought, he felt a rush of energy and as he had done many times in Du Skulblaka Ramr, he started to perform the Rimgar,_ or the Dance of Snake and Crane,_ a series of exercises that his teacher, Oromis had taught him. The elves had developed these exercises to prepare their warriors for battle, but also to stay in shape The exercises were designed to test his flexibility and strength and after a few minutes had passed, Eragon was sweating and his heart was beating fast as he put his arms and legs in akward positions, twisting them to test his flexibility. His muscles ached and he felt a sudden pain from a large scratch on his arm, an injury he had overlooked when he was healing himself the previous night. Eragon finished performing the final level of the Rimgar, sweat covering his brow and his breath short.

A sound of clapping sounded and Eragon turned, startled. Arya was looking at his progress from where she was lying, near a big tree.

"You have improved a lot" Arya commented with a large smile

"Thank you. I trained every day with Blodgharm, to keep in form." Eragon replied.

A moment of silence passed as Eragon looked at her enchanting green eyes, lost in their depths of wisdom.

"Are you hungry?" Eragon asked.

"Sure." Arya replied as she followed Eragon. With a confident walk, he crossed the street

He searched Saphira's packs for some food and found some fruits. He filled a bowl for himself and for Arya. The fruits had a sweet taste, filling his mouth. He washed the fruits down with some water. As he finished eating, he watched Arya, as she ate the fruits.

"I've never tasted this before." she said showing a dark purple fruit that had the size of a small ball.

"It's a vanilla fruit." Eragon explained. "There are thousands in Du Skulblaka Ramr.".

"I like it. It has a sweet,filling taste." Arya said.

"That's because it's poisoned." Eragon said with a serious face and for a few seconds he managed to remain so, looking at Arya, until finally he burst out laughing at Arya's expression.

"That's not funny you know." Arya said, but she couldn't resist smiling, which made Eragon blush.

"You should have seen your expression." Eragon said still chuckling but he grew serious as he felt a being touch his mind.

"_Ebrithil!_" sounded a voice in his mind and Eragon recognized Salador's voice after a few moments of confusion.

"_Salador! You are back!_" Eragon answered.

_"Ebrithil, I need to talk to you immediately."_ Salador replied almost instantly, showing that something was wrong.

_"Are you all right?"_ Arya asked concerned.

_"I will meet you in ten minutes"_ Eragon replied to Salador.

"Eragon?" Arya asked again.

"Sorry, it's Salador. Something happened and I must meet him immediately". he said and lifted himself from the chair concerned. Deep lines of worry were on his face.

"I'll join you." Arya offered and Eragon smiled. He turned and ran towards Saphira before he remembered she was still sleeping.

"I have to warn you. Saphira might be a bit cranky, when I wake her up, especially after how much she drank last night."

Arya laughed at that as she had noticed it too. "I understand."

A large area had been cleared in front of the Broken Wizard Inn. Saphira and Firnen were sleeping in front of it.

_"Saphira wake up."_ Eragon said in her mind.

_"What is it?"_ Saphira asked annoyed louder than it was necessary, as she opened one eye. She saw Eragon and Arya coming towards her. She felt exhausted, her flying muscles were in pain from the battle as well as the trip and her head felt horrible.

"_We must go, Salador needs our help._" Eragon replied.

_"Just five more minutes!_" Saphira said yawning, her large white teeth, the size of swords, showing.

"_No Saphira, we need to go now._!" Eragon said, but Saphira wasn't answering.

_"Saphira, don't make me bring a bucket of water."_ Eragon said with a puffs of smoke and a loud noise from Saphira's throat indicated she was laughing.

_"All right, All right I'm waking up._" Saphira said still laughing as she lifted herself from the ground.

In a few minutes, Eragon and Saphira and Arya and Firnen were flying towards the other side of the city. A large yellow dragon was waiting for them and Salador was walking up and down the field, landed and Eragon jumped on the ground.

"Welcome Salador." Eragon said as he grabbed Salador from the shoulders looking at him.

"Ebrithil." Salador said inclining his head.

"What is it? Is everything all right? Where is Alaina" Eragon said worried, noticing her absence.

"That is exactly it... She was...She..." Salador couldn't finish as tears filled his eyes.A sense of dread filled Eragon. His knees felt weak and concern filled his eyes.

"Is she...dead?" Eragon managed to finish the sentence.

"I... I don't know..." Salador replied a stream of tears on his eyes, as violent shakes took over his body as he cried.

"Easy now, easy...there" Eragon said hugging him, clapping his back. They both sat down on the floor.

"Tell me exactly what happened." Eragon said calmly, when Salador had calmed a several minutes, Salador explained what had happened, their trip to Teirm, the site of the destroyed city, their rest outside the city gates, the scream he had heard and finally the fight he had with the shade and the oath he had taken.A heavy silence fell in the air. Nobody was talking, as everyone was thinking about the events.

"This is my fault! This is all my fault.!" Salador shouted, fresh tears filling his eyes.

"No... it is not." Eragon replied.

"I wasn't strong enough! I wasn't..." Salador said trying to brought him close.

"Look at me. Look at my eyes." Eragon said and Salador obeyed.

"Do not blame yourself for this. There was nothing you could do to stop it. You must go rest. You did well." Eragon said. Salador nodded, and Eragon released him.

_"Saphira, fly him somewhere safe. I must talk to Gadaroth."_ . Saphira flew with Salador on her back, as Eragon turned to the yellow dragon.

_"Was Alaina standing when you left?"_ Eragon asked.

_"She was unconscious Ebrithil. We all fought hard, but we could not beat him. That shade is powerful to withstand two riders and dragons attacking at the same time." _Gadaroth replied concerned

_"So we do not know if she is alive?"_ Eragon asked. 

_"She was still alive when we left. Of that, I am certain"_ Gadaroth replied.

"Then we must go save them. We leave tonight." Eragon said loudly, a determined tone in his voice.

"Eragon, what about King Orrin and his army?" Arya asked.

"King Orrin is beaten. His army is scattered. He will need a few days to gather his army again. Gregorbak, Thrain and you, will remain here to help Roran fight him." Eragon replied.

"No, I am coming with you." Arya said, as Eragon looked surprised. "He is a powerful opponent, and you will need any help you can get to defeat him."

"Very well." Eragon replied, happy that she had decided to join him but not wanting to show it .

_"Gadaroth, one more question. Can you describe the shade?"_

An image came to Eragon's mind, a shade with red eyes, pale skin and a long white beard,wearing a black cloak. his speed faster than Salador could block, attacking them.

Eragon remained silent, watching the image in his head. A dawn of realization came over his mind.

"I know that man..." Eragon said thoughtfully.

"Who is it?" Arya asked.

"An old hermit in a tower, an old crazy man. His name was Tenga." Eragon said slowly.

"How do you know this?" Arya asked.

"I met him on the previous war as I was returning to the Varden, after killing the Razak." Eragon replied.

"We must visit his tower." Eragon said loudly. "It might help our investigation.

_"Ebrithil"_ Gadaroth said, lowering his eyes. _"Do you think they will be alive?_" a great sadness was in his voice and a low wail came from him, breaking Eragon's heart.

_"I am sure they are alive. We will get them back. I promise."_ Eragon said a big weight in his throat and heart. He wanted to console him, to make him feel better and to stop blaming himself for what happened.

_"You are the strongest dragon I know, besides Saphira" _Eragon said with a smile as an afterthought, _"Do not let this weigh you. You and Salador did the best you could. I am proud of you."_ Eragon said patting him.

"_Thank you Ebrithil for your words. I will see you tonight."_ Gadaroth said, his mood lifted as he took off towards the city.

"Will you be ok?" Arya asked. Firnen looked at him with concern.

Eragon turned and looked at her green eyes.

"I think so." he said but he did not feel very sure about that.

"Let us go to Roran, we must tell him of what has occurred." Eragon said and climbed on Firnen's back with Arya.

Roran was in a large room in the palace, looking at some maps that were laid on the table in front of him. His generals were there but when Eragon enetered they all left. Roran was happy to see them and greeted them with a big hug. When they told him the news Roran's expression changed from happy to serious.

"We need you here Eragon. It is still dangerous with Orrin." Roran stated.

"However, I know I cannot stop you from leaving. If you think it is the right choice, then go." he continued.

Eragon smiled at Roran.

"Thank you for understanding, brother." he said.

It was not just the fact that he was the leader of the riders and he had sent one of them to be captured or killed. It was also that he had taken his new role as the protector of the dragons and riders and now two of them were in danger. Eragon filled with a protective feeling, as if his family was threatened, and he would need to save them. He wanted to keep them alive and he could not contribute to the war if he knew that one of the dragons and one of the riders were at the hands of his enemies, suffering. Guilt overtook him for sending them to Teirm unprepared and he blamed himself for their current situation.

"Of course. No one is left behind." Roran replied seriously. "Besides, we will need to deal with that threat one way or the other when we have finished with King Orrin." Roran said.

Eragon smiled. It was true what Roran said, but he had not understood his situation completely.

"Take care brother." Eragon said hugging him.

"You too Eragon." Roran replied.

"Shall we go prepare?" Eragon asked Arya.

"Yes, I have informed the council of my decision. They were not pleased to hear it but they will not object." Arya said doubtfully.

"Thank you." Eragon said touching her on the shoulder for a few seconds, recognizing the sacrifice she had made.

Then quickly, he turned around and went towards Saphira. The same protective sense that had woken in him was filling him. He needed to correct his mistake, and save Alaina and Arget from the shade. His grip tightened on his sword, Brisingr, an anger filling him for the shade. It was time to prove his name once more. He was the protector of the Dragons and the Riders, and the dragon eggs and he would not let anyone he cared about be harmed.


	28. Chapter 28: Burning Forest

The cold wind howled as it passed trough the large green trees of the elven forest of Du Weldenvarden. Arget, the silver dragon was flying over the trees, the light shining on her silver scales, and on her pure white claws. She was flying with grace, her movements proud. Her huge wings were moving slowly, as if the task ahead of her was unpleasant, and she was in no hurry to fulfill it. A low wail could be heard, a sad sound that would break a man's heart, and she released a roar of frustration, proving the fact that she was unhappy.

Birds flew away from her sudden appearance and many animals ran as fast as they could away, afraid for their lives. However, the dragon showed no sign of seeing the animals below her. There was only one thing in her mind and that was her rider, Alaina.

She had been captured by the shade called Tenga, a few days before, after a big battle between her, Alaina, Salador and Gadaroth. They had been defeated and Salador and Gadaroth had flown away, towards Illiria, where safety awaited, to bring the other riders to help defeat the new threat. She could still feel the sting of the defeat and she was angry with herself for having let Alaina fight with the shade, instead of leaving, away from that horrible being, away from danger. She could still remember the long seconds when she thought Alaina had died. She had thought that everything was lost, and that she had no more reason to live. But then she had felt Alaina's life force, as she was unconscious, on the floor. It had been the longest seconds of her life. Her thoughts turned again to the shade, and how he had hurt the partner of her mind, a great anger and thirst for revenge almost overpowering her. She swore to herself the Shade would pay for hurting her rider. Yet, there was nothing she could do to hurt him.

The same day Salador had left, flying for Illiria, Tenga had drawn a black dagger, and walked towards Alaina, still unconscious on the floor. He had aimed at her rider's heart, and all Arget could do was watch as she struggled to free herself, but it was all in vain. The shade aimed at Alaina's heart and as he was lowering his hand, to strike, a sudden change had transformed his face. With a smile, he had looked at Arget and Alaina and a terrible laugh had escaped his lips.

"I have no need to kill your rider dragon. It is your lucky day. Do you know why?" he had asked with a whispering voice.

Arget knew that whatever was in his mind was worse than what he had been about to do but she remained silent, not willing to open her mind to the shade, to let him enter her thoughts so they could talk.

Undisturbed by her reaction, he continued talking

"There is no need, because you will be my weapon, the source of my vengeance. You will burn the Elven Forest of Du Weldenvarden for me." he explained as a grin covered his face and hate could be seen in his eyes.

Arget was stunned, and she looked at the shade, not knowing what to do.

"Is it so hard to understand Dragon? You will do so, because if you do not, your rider will die, a most painful and horrible death. That, I promise." Tenga said.

A terrible roar could be heard as Arget, tried to release herself and breathed fire on the shade.

Tenga made a soft clicking sound with his mouth and slowly lowered the dagger towards Alaina's neck.

Arget calmed herself, and nodded her big silver hair going down and up accepting the order, but still unwilling to let him in her thoughts. She had to save Alaina, and she would do anything to make that happen.

A tightness around Tenga's mouth was all that betrayed his emotions.

"Very well. Do so and your rider shall live. Burn the city of Osilon and you shall be rewarded beyond anything you have dreamed of!" Tenga replied with an evil grin.

With one last view at her rider, Arget flew away, to get as far away as possible from Tenga. A few minutes passed, and when the shade was nowehre to be seen, she slowed down. There was no need to hurry, to follow his order. Help was on the way, and the more time she made travelling, the more time they would have to arrive.

Since then, it had been five days. Five days had passed since she had been separated from her rider, her only reason of living, the partner of her mind. A low wail could be heard as a great sadness filled her at the thought. Then as suddenly as that had come, a great anger came over her. She wanted to make the shade pay for what he had done, she was angry at the cruel world around her that a thing such as that could happen. Then again, she felt a wave of sadness fill her.

_Perhaps I am getting crazy,_ she thought bitterly.

In the distance, the great trees in the city of Osilon could be seen as she looked at the tall elven buildings, marking the city. The buildings were one with nature, so much, that it was almost impossible to see where the city ended and where the forest began. Once more she admired elven architecture, as she looked in wonder at the huge trees, where the Great Hall and the House of Council were built.

_"What does it matter, if they will all burn in a while?"_ she asked herself.

She thought she saw a piece of white cloth, running fast in the trees below her, probably to warn the city of her approach.

She slowed down. She wanted to give the city a chance to prepare, to defend themselves.

_"Perhaps it is better this way"_ she thought. _"If the elves manage to stop me from burning their forest...". _She cut off, not wanting to continue the thought.

Minutes passed, and nothing happened as she came closer and closer to the city.

Finally, when she thought that she would enter the city unchallenged, she heard an elf reaching for her mind. Without aknowledging him, a loud roar came out of her throat. She could see the elves had amassed to greet her in the city, her arrival was unexpected but she was bonded with an elf after all. Celebrations had started already, and women were singing and elves were dancing.

Arget continued to fly in the city, as another frantic attempt to contact her was made. When she ignored that again, a loud horn sounded, the sound deep and the echo of it bouncing off the trees and the rocks of the city, making the ground tremble, warning the city that she had entered without permission.

"_I don't want to do this. I dont!"_ she said but at the same time she thought. "_I have to if I want to see Alaina alive again, I have to. I have to!"_ she said again, as if repeating the word would make her believe it.

She opened her jaws, and a stream of fire escaped her mouth, as a dozen trees of the forest caught fire. A loud scream could be heard from one of the elves, as they remained motionless, stunned by the destruction. Another stream of fire escaped her jaws, burning more trees, and only then did the elves organize themselves. She felt twenty different mind attacks, trying to enter her mind, but Eragon had taught her well, and it would not be easy for the elves to enter her mind. Spells bounced off her wards, as Arget opened her mouth to burn the large council hall. Ice shards flew past her harmlessly and fire balls splashed on her sides. Thunder hit her wind, and a loud roar of pain could be heard as she burned the elf who had hurt her.

_"I don't want to do this!"_ She screamed inside her mind. She felt as if she had been condemned to an execution, by the shade. _"By all the forces in the world, I swear he will pay for this, if I survive this."_ she promised to herself.

More spells came towards her, some trying to harm her indirectly. Smoke had filled the air, and trees were burning in the city. Elves lay dead on the ground and sounds of anger and battle cries could be heard by the elves.

Arget narrowly escaped a spear from hurting her wing, and suddenly, darkness enveloped her. She had lost her sight as she was flying. A spell for a cunning elf, but she could not use her eyes. Suddenly, her sense of direction wavered, and a loud roar could be heard as she burned the whole area around her, worried that the damage was permanent. She flew, trying to land, but a roar of agony escaped her when she crashed on a tree, breaking the thick trunk, and then on another. For a few seconds she lay there, dazed, not able to move. Her ward had been exhausted from the first crash, and the second had made a large scratch on her left side. She felt her leg, broken and a wing had snapped an lay under her body but she could not move. Terrible pain filled her, threatening to overwhelm her.

She lay there, as she felt a wetness under her body, blood coming from her large wounds.

_"I must leave._" Arget told herself, but she was unable to do it. She hard the wild cries of elves as they surrounded her, arrows piercing her wings, a roar of pain escaping her.

_"So this is how it ends."_ she thought. Acceptance of her death had filled her,

"Enough!" she heard a loud voice order. Arget turned her head toward the sound. She could not see the elf, but his voice hinted that he was powerful, probably a general or a commander of the elven army.

"I said enough Eladren! Turn back! Turn back or I swear that dragon will be the least of your problems!".

A frustrated shout could be heard from Eladren as he turned away, swallowing a bunch of curses.

_"Now Arget, why have you done this?"_ the voice asked.

Arget did not move. Slowly she opened her mind, careful as she made contact with the elven commander.

"_Why have you done this Dragon?"_ the commander said.

"_Please...Kill me, Please..."_ Arget said, unable to counter the pain in her side and from her broken bones, but worst of all, unable to accept the destruction she had caused to the elves, the shame she had brought to herself. Terrible sadness filled her.

For a moment the elf seemed to be considering it. Then he replied.

_"That I shall not do."_ He said with his deep voice.

_"He has her...a prisoner...the shade"_ she replied. _"He threatened that he would kill her if I didn't do it. I had to...I had to..."_ she said as she lowered her head in shame.

A quick spell could be heard and her vision came back. She could suddenly see, the elves, surrounding her. The whole elven army of the city had amassed, around her.

The elven commander appeared thoughtful. He was a relatively young elf, his long black curly hair and muscular build, suggesting his skill with a sword, and his shiny white armor, and plumed helmet, marking his position. His blue eyes studied the dragon, as Arget stared at his eyes in return.

_"If I heal your wounds, do you promise that you will not harm the city any longer?"_ the commander asked in the ancient language.

_"I do promise I will not harm the city or the elves in any way."_ Arget replied in the ancient language.

The commander approached her, and healed the large gash on her side, to the astonishment of the elves. He then turned his attention to Arget's broken wing and leg. Finally, when he was done, he staggered as he tripped, while walking away.

_"You must lead us to this Shade."_ the commander said, in a voice that left no room for argument.

_"That would be my pleasure"_ Arget replied, feeling a sense of hope that she had not felt before. Suddenly, she lowered her head again to look at the commander.

_"Thank you for your help. Not many would have acted this way after what I did."_ Arget said, feeling grateful for the commander.

The elf remained silent but after a while he lowered his head.

"_My name is Vanir."_ he said simply. "_A long time ago, I learned to respect the dragons and the riders."_ he said with a smile.

Arget lowered her head, respectfully, and suddenly flew in the air. She needed to fly as fast as possible back to her rider and to Tenga. She would lead the elven army to the shade, and she would fight till her last drop of blood to free her partner of her mind. With the corner of her eye, she saw Vanir amass the elven army in neat ranks, and gave the order to follow her, as elf warrior after elf, marched in a steady pace, synchronized, as if in a military parade, as they held their drawn swords in front of them, saluting their commander, as they passed. Vanir also drew his sword, saluting back. He sheathed his sword, and Arget saw him touch his right hand, carefully, as if touching a wound. A smile came in his face, as he turned and followed the soldiers.

Arget looked at the elven army below her and hoped that they would be enough to beat the shade.

_I hope Salador and Gadaroth have time to bring Eragon and the others_. she thought.

Her heart beat faster and a louad roar escaped her lips, as she needed to release the tension, from her anxiety. Alaina would be fine. She had to be all right. With a burst of speed, she flew ahead, her thoughts only for her rider's well being.


	29. Chapter 29: Flight

The big walls of Iliria faded from his view as he flew on Saphira towards a large hill, overlooking the city, where he was to meet Arya and Salador, with their dragons. The darkness was slowly beginning to fade, as morning repaced night. The streets had been empty, for none of the merchants shouting their wares or the travellers entering and leaving the city, none of the people that usually crowded the streets and filling the city and every building, were outside so early. The flap of Saphira's wings was the only sound he could hear, as he focused towards their destination.

Saphira was enjoying the feel of the wind on her body and Eragon grinned as he felt the familiar sense of the cold air touching his skin, freezing his face as the air brushed his hair. A laugh escaped him, for he had grown to enjoy flying with Saphira. However, the flight was a small one, as Saphira started to descend.

Her feet touched the soft ground, and the smell of wet grass filled his nostrils, as he looked around for signs of the others. They had not arrived yet. Eragon climbed down from Saphira's saddle and walked towards a tall tree, in the middle of the clearing, stretching his legs and muscles, and moving them. He looked at Saphira, as smile on his lips as he bent to sit down, near the tree. His eyes caught the sight of a broken branch, from a plant a few meters away.

_"Recent"_ the thought came to him. Blodgharm had insisted for him to learn how to track better. Being a hunter, Eragon had been good at it already, for it was the skill needed to hunt animals in the forest, but Blodgharm had repeated many times that there were also other uses in tracking, such as following people, or preventing an ambush.

With that thought, his grip tightened on Brisingr and his muscles tensed, readying for an attack that never came. A growl escaped Saphira, who had read his thoughts, and she seemed ready to pounce on her prey.

_"What is it little one.?"_ she asked, tense._ "I smell nothing in the air."_ she said sniffing.

"_There is a broken branch over there. And more around it. The grass was stepped on, a short time ago."_ Eragon replied.

Saphira looked at him, her blue eyes penetrating, surprised.

_"Do you think we should follow the tracks?_"Eragon asked.

_"I think it would be a waste of time, Eragon. Thousands of people could have passed, yesterday from this very spot."_ Saphira replied.

_"At this hour? So recently?" _Eragon replied, already starting after the footprints.

Saphira sighed. She knew that if her rider had decided to do something, it was nearly impossible to convince him otherwise.

"_Very well, but be careful little one. The hunter can easily become the hunted one."_ Saphira said as she followed him.

Eragon followed the tracks carefully, his sword half drawn, as if he expected trouble. Suddenly, the long trees ended and a small grass field appeared. Two figures were in the field, kneeling. Eragon came closer as slowly and silently as possible, but one of the figures, a boy turned and hissed. Then the second figure with long curly hair, short with a black dress, turned. It was Angela the herbalist and Solembum. Eragon released a breath of relief, as he slowly chuckled as if he found the entire thing funny.

"There you are!" Angela said with a start as she turned to see him, as if she was searching for him.

"It's good to see you here. What are you doing?"Eragon asked after lifting his head to Solembum, who had taken the opportunity to change to a werecat again.

"Why, isn't it obvious? Picking herbs of course." Angela stated with a grin as she put a hand on his cheek.

"Strange, to pick the same spot, out of all the places" Eragon said amused.

"Indeed. What are the odds? We came here to join you on your trip." Angela said as if casually talking about the weather.

Eragon looked at her suspiciously.

"Why would you want to do that?" he asked. "It will be dangerous" he thought.

"I would think you would be happier." Angela stated. "So be it, if you must know, it is because something important will happen there. Something I would not like to miss." Angela said cryptically.

Eragon knew better than to press her for an answer. She would only give him another riddle.

"Besides, we are pleasant company, don't you think?" Angela stated and Solembum gave him a stare that could kill.

Eragon smiled, and nodded his head without answering.

"I have a feeling too, that there is something important I must do" Eragon said stopping at that, and Angela looked at him sharply. He knew he shouldn't have said it but he wanted to give her a taste of her own medicine.

Angela only smiled, in response.

"Perhaps you are not so lost as I thought you were." Angela stated and turned around picking her herbs.

"Well, we must be on the move." she stated as the sound of flapping wings from the approaching dragons and riders could be heard coming from the city. Angela quickly walked towards the sound, without letting Eragon talk.

Eragon blinked in surprise. He had not expected Angela to want to come with him in search of the shade, but his mood lightened when he remembered what a great help she had been in the previous war. Her knowledge in magic far exceeded the knowledge of the elves and the riders of old, if that was possible, and one way or the other, he would like to get to know more about that, as well as find out who Angela really was.

With a wolfish grin, he followed, as Saphira made a small laughing noise within her throat.

"_Trying to get a straight answer from that woman? Might as well, try lifting that mountain." _Saphira said and chuckled again, louder this time, small bursts of fire escaping her.

"_Sorry."_ she said, as Eragon moved away from her to avoid being burnt.

Eragon looked at the approaching dragons, one yellow, the color of a bright sun and the other green, the color of the leaves of Du Weldenvarden. Salador lifted his hand in greeting as they approached Eragon's position and landed. He slid off the saddle and immediately made the sign of respect with his hand.

"Ebrithil" he said with his deep booming voice.

Arya jumped on the ground. She wore a green tunic, the color of her dragon, and her usual travelling leather pants. Her black hair covered her face for an instant and her light green eyes, looked at him appraisingly as he made the sign of respect towards her.

"Atra esterní ono thelduin" Eragon said.

" Mor'ranr lífa unin hjarta onr" Arya replied, surprised he had talked first, honoring her.

"Atra du evarínya ono varda, Arya Drotning" he said with a smile.

"Eragon, it is good to see you." she said.

Eragon smiled in response.

Arya's eyebrow shot up, when she saw Angela but she immediately made the sign of respect.

"Wise one, we are honored with your presence" she said in the ancient language.

"The honor is mine." Angela replied. "Shall we be on our way?" Angela said motioning towards the saddle.

"Of course." Eragon replied and jumped on Saphira's saddle. He immediately gave his hand to Angela to climb on Saphira, and she accepted it.

As soon as Angela was on the saddle, holding Solembum on her lap, Saphira took off, the two other dragons following her example. Eragon once again felt the cold night air on his face, and the breeze running through his hair. He felt alive when he was flying.

"Will you put up some protection for the heat, or will you let us freeze to death?" Angela said, clearly not used to the cold night air.

Eragon smiled and with a few words, he put a protection around them to keep them warm.

"Much better." Angela said and Solembum nodded, putting his claws on Eragon's back, making him jump.

"Easy there! You're going to scratch me." Eragon said.

"He likes you, that is all Eragon." Angela said laughing.

"If that is his way of showing he likes me, I don't want to see how he shows his dislike." Eragon said but smiled at Solembum, jokingly.

Solembum only stared with his blue eyes, his black fur shining in the light. He ignored Eragon and did the same on Saphira, who surprisingly seemed to enjoy it.

Eragon looked at Arya, her face had a large smile, as if she was enjoying the whole scene and Eragon smiled back.

However, his smile faded as he saw Salador's grim expression. He understood his pain, he thought he had abandoned the woman he loved to her fate, and he would not forgive himself for that. He wished there was something more he could say to him, something to comfort him but he did not know what. Some wounds needed time to heal. Leaving him alone seemed best for the time being.

It would be a long journey to Teirm and the shade and he had a feeling he would need every bit of strength in his disposal to beat it. He tried to remember his previous encounter with Tenga, but he remembered little that would show that he had been a man attuned to evil. He had been mad for sure, in his quest for knowldge. He doubted the man could be the one responsible for the slaughter. Yet, the shade had claimed his name was Tenga and he wished he knew more of the man than a single morning in an abandoned tower.

"Who are you?" he wondered.

"Why Angela of course. Who else?" Angela replied laughing. Eragon realized he had talked loudly and his cheeks colored in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry. I was thinking something." Eragon said.

"That is good to know. For a moment, I thought you were going mad."Angela replied.

"What do you know of Tenga?" Eragon asked.

Angela looked surprised for a mere second, yet still she managed tocover her slip and turn it into a joke.

"Who, that old crazy hermit? Nothing that would interest you I suppose...Unless of course you find the cycles of the moon interesting, or the Question, or whatever he is doing these days." Angela replied.

Bits of conversation seemed to pop in his mind, about Tenga's research. He remembered he had mentioned these things, but at the time they had all sounded as the ramblings of an old man.

Still, when he looked at Angela he knew that she was hiding more than she was letting on, more knowledge about him and his research.

"In a way he is a seeker of Truth, a philosopher if you will. And a powerful magician." Angela replied when he did not seemed satisfied. Her answers only raised more questions.

Eragon nodded, her words sounded true, but he still had a distinct feeling he was forgetting something. Something important, but he still could not put a finger on it.

With a sigh, he let the topic out of his thoughts. He would have to think about it when his mind was clearer. For now, he would try to relax and enjoy the flight, joking with Angela and Arya and looking at Salador, checking that he did not do anything foolish.

His heart slowed down and his eyes slowly closed, as sleep took him, on Saphira's back.


	30. Chapter 30: Under The Stars

The sky was red and purple as the sun slowly descended in the horizon. Eragon felt the cold night breeze and he shivered as he changed his position on Saphira's saddle, trying to find a comfortable position. Behind him Angela chuckled at an unheard comment, clutching Solembum on her lap. She looked at the trees below, as they passed, faster than the eye could follow, from the speed that Saphira was flying in. Near Saphira, Gadaroth was flying, Salador clutching his dragon's neck spike to keep in the saddle, while Firnen was a little ahead of them, Arya laughing on his back. The three dragons were in some form of racing competition, and for the moment Firnen was winning. Eragon, knowing Saphira's flying abilities was willing to wager that she would be able to pass the other two dragons, even with the extra weight on her back.

Eragon tried to suppress a laugh as Saphira flew faster and with a burst of speed, Saphira passed in front just before the mark they had set as an end line, a tall rock that could be seen from a distance. Firnen looked stunned as he approached and resumed his normal speed.

"Hatchlings..." Saphira said to him with contempt and Eragon smiled as Gadaroth praised Saphira for winning and Firnen looked at her with awe.

The trip had been far from comfortable with Angela talking about random things and Solembum snoring on her lap. Eragon was playing a game of riddles with Saphira and he had lost, not surprisingly. He was never good at finding the answers to riddles. They would soon have to rest for the night. Eragon searched for a spot and after a few minutes he found a small clearing that looked protected from the cold wind, and was easily defensible in case there was an attack. Saphira saw it too and with a quick move, she descended towards the clearing, her large blue wings flapping and pushing the air with force to make her stop and land safely.

Her hair slowly moving from the air, Arya was sitting near the fire, trying to stay warm, looking at Firnen who was talking with Saphira. Eragon smiled as he felt Saphira laugh, a sense of amusement coming from her in his mind.

Salador was lying on the floor, near his dragon Gadaroth, looking at the flames of the campfire, deep in thought while Gadaroth himself was slowly closing his eyes, falling asleep. Soon, they were both sleeping, tired from the journey.

Angela was on the other side of the campfire, slowly cleaning the plates they had eaten from, mumbling a bunch of phrases Eragon could not understand under her breath. Solembum was stretching and cleaning his black fur until it almost shined.

For a long time, Eragon looked at the night sky full of stars, and at the big moon looking over them, lost in his thoughts, about the war, his duty as a Lead Rider. Once he looked around, everyone was sleeping, and the campfire was slowly dying. Yet, he could not sleep. He decided to take a walk . He had given the order to Alaina and Salador to investigate Teirm and now because of him Alaina was captured by the shade. He still felt guilt for having made that order and not giving Salador and Alaina enough to be able to defend themselves . But what could he have done differently? As Saphira had said the young riders needed to learn for themselves the danger of the world around them and he could not protect them every single time.

"Still I could have given them some eldunarya to be able to defend themselves more efficiently." he thought.

"But that could be dangerous." Eragon thought again. He knew too well the dangers of the secret of eldunarya revealed to the wrong person. Galbatorix was a great example, a rider who corrupted by his ambition for more power and his will to rule over everyone had killed riders and dragons to gain more eldunarya, and as a result become the most powerful person in the world. He was responsible for the Fall of the Riders.

Power corrupts, like a festering wound. The more powerful one becomes, the more power he wants, the ambition so great that it makes one do almost everything to achieve it. To fulfill that goal, one has to slowly lose all humanity, until finally he becomes no better than Galbatorix. That was why he was not willing to share the knowledge of eldunarya, even with his own students, who he knew so well.

_"I may have to anyway, despite my wishes"_ Eragon thought. He had crossed the trees, until the glow of the fire was barely visible, attracted by the sound of water as a small stream ended in a lake. A clearing appeared near the lake, as the light of the moon and stars was reflected on the calm took a deep breath, trying to calm himself from the thoughts in his mind. A sense of calm filled him, as he opened his mind to the creatures around him.

"There you are." Arya said as she appeared from the trees behind him.

"Arya! I thought you were asleep." Eragon said surprised as he lifted himself from the ground, glad that she was with him.

"I couldn't sleep." she answered, not wanting to reveal that she had followed him there.

"I'm glad you are here." Eragon said trying to calm his racing heart. Every time she was close, he felt as if it was hard to breathe, his heart raced and he felt his blood rush in his body. He saw her green eyes, the beautiful red lips that he wanted to kiss again, her beautiful long black hair, that felt like silk and smelled of pineneedles, Arya's special scent. He imagined again the kiss they had shared and...no, he would not let himself become a fool in front of her. Her friendship was too precious for him to destroy everything with a careless slip of his tongue or scaring her off.

"What are you doing here?" she asked with a smile.

"I wanted to be alone for a while..." Eragon said. He wanted to explain to her the reason he had walked in this clearing, the way her felt about giving the order for Salador and Alaina to go to Teirm, when they were not ready, that it was his responsibility that Alaina had been captured.

"Eragon...what is done is done. You cannot change what is past. You can only strive to be better in the future." Arya said as if she had read his thoughts. Had she? He had not felt her touch his mind, but he was so absorbed in his own thoughts he might have missed it.

A small grin from Arya confirmed his suspicions.

"You should not do that." Eragon said, pretending to be angry.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see anything I should not have." Arya said and Eragon blushed. He was all too aware of the thoughts about Arya that had passed in his mind a few minutes ago.

"Thank you for the advice. It is still hard to accept, that is all, sending a woman to her death, or worse." Eragon said reluctantly and sighed as he turned away from her ashamed.

A few minutes passed, the silence stretching as they both looked at the lake and at the light of the stars reflected on the calm water.

"Eragon, I must tell you something." Arya began and Eragon turned to face her concerned. His thoughts had drifted again, but they always seemed to return to Arya, the woman he loved, the kiss they had spent together. If only that minute could have lasted forever. He remembered Arya's reaction after they had kissed, her turning and running away from him. Him standing in the tower, alone with the feel of her lips still on his mouth. Tears streaming on his eyes.

"Arya I wanted to..." Eragon wanted to apologize for his behavior that night but before he could finish Arya silenced him.

"Eragon, I apologize for leaving that night in the tower. I do not know what came over me" Arya stated and Eragon stared at her, unable to believe he had heard right. Ignoring his silence, she continued with a determined expression.

"I...I have thought carefully about that night and about my feelings for you and...I care about you a lot, more than any other person in the world, I understand how you feel, and I wanted to tell you...I wanted to tell you that I love you. I love you Eragon." Arya stated her green eyes looking at him as a smile appeared on her face, as soon as she had said the words, as if a great burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

For a few seconds he stared at her, unable to speak. Those were the three words that he had wanted more than anything to hear from her, the woman he loved. The woman he cared more than anything in the world for. The woman who he wanted to be with for the rest of his life. His heart raced as a wide grin appeared on his face. He felt like dancing like laughing until he could laugh no more, like jumping and screaming in the air. He was so happy that a smile and a laugh would not suffice to show it.

"Oh Arya, I love you too!" he said as he hugged her fiercely. He looked at her beautiful green eyes, his hands touching her beautiful black hair, his face inching closer and closer until finally his lips touched her beautiful red soft lips, and they kissed each other.

The kiss lasted for a whole minute, he was so absorbed by her beauty. by her perfume, the feel of her lips on his, her tongue and the feel of her so close to him. He finally separated from her to catch his breath. He once again looked at her, the woman of his dreams.

"Arya, you are the most wise and beautiful woman I have met, you are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, when I think of you, my heart races and I can hardly breathe. When I look at your eyes, I feel like I am drowning in them, Your perfume sets my blood afire. You mean everything to me and when I see your beautiful smile or hear your laughter, I feel like that is my purpose in this life, to make you happy, to make you laugh, to be with you" Eragon said, an outburst coming from deep in his heart.

Arya smiled at the words, but before she could answer, Eragon silenced her with a finger as he carefully kissed her again, on the lips again and again. Arya laughed and Eragon smiled as he continued to kiss her as Arya put her arms around Eragon's neck.

Carefully, very carefully, as if Arya was made from glass, and he was afraid she might break, he laid her on the ground as they continued to kiss, on her lips and on her neck, Arya making small sounds of pleasure. They rolled on the floor, laughing as Arya made a yelp and Eragon laughed harder as she kissed him on his neck and slowly started to unbutton his shirt as Eragon did the same with her shirt.

Eragon was so absorbed that he had trouble with the laces, but eventually, he untied them. They were now both without clothes, both staring at one another, intently, Arya at Eragon and Eragon at her. He looked at her beautiful smile, her neck, her shapely breasts, her shoulders covered by her long black hair, at her long legs and her hips. He came closer and Arya hugged him and kissed him on his chest as they lied on the grass again.

He was lost at the pleasure, lost at the sight of the girl of his dreams, his heart making a crazy dance in his chest as he struggled to breathe, messages of pleasure coming to his brain from all sides. He patted Arya, and caressed her hair, her soft as silk skin pressing on his hard body, as her warmth touched him. Suddenly he had an idea, and a grin appeared on his face as he opened his mind and mended it with Arya's mind. Instantly he was aware of her, more aware than any time before as he felt her pleasure. He combined it with his, ecstasy filling him and his body, as he entered her, his movements slow at the beginning, as if he was afraid of hurting her and then slowly becoming faster and faster.

A scream of pleasure escaped Arya, and Eragon copied her, feeling one with her, in his mind, knowing what to do to increase her pleasure, to give her more, to satisfy her.

"Oh Eragon!" Arya moaned and Eragon replied. "I love you Arya. Arya I love you!" he shouted. He kissed her more passionately loving every part of her, treasuring every second of their closeness, every second of his feelings at that moment. He lost himself in the moment, lost himself in Arya's caresses, and her kisses, her moans and her screams of pleasure, his heart racing in his chest, his blood feeling afire, drowning in the sight of her eyes, kissing her beautiful red lips. There was nothing else in the world but Arya, the woman of his dreams, the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, the woman he loved and the woman who loved him in return.

For a long time, they enjoyed each other, lost in their love and their pleasure, kissing near the lake under the light of the moon and the watchful gaze of the stars.

Well guys and girls? What do you think? :P I hope you enjoyed! I am sorry this took such a long time. :)


	31. Chapter 31: Rescue

The blazing sun still climbed in the sky, as the three dragons flew in the clear morning sky. The sound of birdsong could be heard below them from the trees they passed, and a chilling winter wind had started, its sound like whispers as it passed through the tall trees, moving their leaves. Firnen flew beside Saphira and Gadaroth, and roared in the air, not able to hide his pleasure. Arya smiled at his reaction.

She looked at his emerald scales, shining from the light of the sun, and she wondered how she was able to live without him all these years. He was a vital part of her, like her heart, and she loved him, as much as she loved Eragon. At that thought, her cheeks colored, and she was glad of the cold wind, as it would hide it from the others. They would only assume that her cheeks were red because of the cold. She had spent a long night kissing Eragon, and lying with him under the stars, and she knew that she would not forget that night for as long as she lived. Her heart beat faster at the thought, and her breathing turned quicker. Unconsciously, she looked at Eragon, riding Saphira. He was in deep conversation with her, and his face looked tense, because of the upcoming events. She looked at his muscular body, at his face, and his brown eyes. Suddenly, he turned towards her, and Arya smiled at him without thinking. His eyes softened and he smiled back, a large grin covering his face. Their eyes kept locked together for a few more seconds, in silent communication.

"_You can stop staring at him now_" Firnen said with his deep strong voice, amused. A cloud of white smoke covering her, almost making her cough, the distraction enough to make her look away.

_"I love him. That is all."_ Arya answered, and Firnen chuckled.

_"You can also stop doing flying tricks in front of Saphira"_ Arya commented as Firnen flew upside down, clearly enjoying himself.

That produced a startled thought from Firnen, as he resumed his normal flying stance and Arya smiled. Firnen already loved Saphira, but it was as if Arya's acceptance of Eragon had made him love her more, if that was possible, and Saphira had also been affected, as she seemed happier than Arya had seen her before. She remembered once more the moment she woke up near Eragon and their kiss. She wished once more that moment would last forever.

Putting her mind away from such thoughts, she reflected on the burned city of Teirm that they had passed only a few hours ago. Ruined houses, burnt to the ground, wolves and crows were the only animals in the empty streets. The city was abandoned and not even a single sound could be heard coming from it. No one would believe that only a few weeks ago, the city had been one of the largest of the empire, filled with people and merchants.

At the thought she felt a great anger for the Shade, as her jaw tightened in determination. That was not even the worst of it. Early in the morning, the elves had contacted her, saying that Osilon, one of the biggest cities of Du Weldenvarden, had suffered damages and many elves had lost their lives trying to stop Alaina's dragon from destroying the city. Arya was filled with a great rage. Her people were threatened by the shade and it was her duty to stop it from doing more harm. The shade would pay for what it had done, both to Alaina, as an elven rider she felt responsible for her, and for the burning of the city of Osilon. Her mood had been spoiled by the news.

Hours passed, in pleasant conversation with Eragon and Firnen. Angela was sitting behind Eragon on Saphira, knitting some sort of clothing, humming a song and Solembum had his yellow eyes half closed, as if he was ready to sleep. Slowly, they passed the burned city and reached the sight where Alaina and her dragon Arget had been captured by the shade. Before Eragon could jump on the ground, Gadaroth landed and Salador jumped from the saddle, and drew his sword nätt raseri from it's scabbard. Arya looked at him, concerned. She knew that Salador loved Alaina and she thought she realized that look of sadness and anger on his face. Sadness for the cruel fate of Alaina, and anger that he was unable to help her.

A tremble overcame her. She could not imagine what she would do if Eragon was captured, the pain she would feel from losing him.

_"No, I will not think like this before the battle." _she thought, shaking her head trying to get rid of these thoughts. She would never again let herself feel like she had felt all these years, since the day Durza had captured her. Eragon had saved her from the sadness, she had rediscovered what life meant and she would not let anyone harm him. Mimicking Salador, she drew her sword and checked the surrounding trees, listening for any sound that would betray the location of the shade.

Eragon watched as Salador drew his sword, nätt raseri. He smiled at the name, a good name for a sword, Strength and Honor. The name revealed much of the personality of Salador, a man who led a life of honor, a soldier who would rather die than retreat from battle, who was proud of not only his physical, but also his strength of personality. He smiled at the changes that he saw in the young man. When he had first arrived to be trained by him, Salador had been a happy young man, full of love for his dragon, who he claimed had saved him from a headsman. He had been determined to learn everything Eragon taught him, always trying to surpass Alaina's achievements, as if they were in a sort of competition and Gadaroth had been little larger than a big fox, full of energy and always causing mischief. Now, all he could see was a man who was tortured by his guilt for letting Alaina be captured, a man who had lost hope, as his empty gaze proclaimed. His grip on the sword was tight, as if he was afraid that if he let go, he would lose the two values that defined his life. His heart ached for the problems of the young man. The words of a promise once said echoed in his mind.

"I promise I will not let anyone harm the people you care about" Eragon had said not so long ago, in Du Skulblaka Ramr, when news of Orrin's attack had first arrived. Now Alaina was captured and he felt as if he had broken his promise to him.

He looked at Arya unsheathing her sword and Eragon drew Brisingr. Behind him, Angela took out a small crystal dagger, and took a fighting stance. Eragon looked at Arya, the woman he loved, the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. At the thought of her, his heart started beating faster, and he could have sworn he could smell pine needles. He listened at the air, flowing through the leaves, at the sound of water from a nearby small stream, at the birds singing.

Suddenly the birds stopped singing and silence ruled the forrest. He looked at the trees but he saw nothing. His grip on Brisingr tightened. A blur of movement coming from behind him, made him turn his head, and he saw a black sword coming towards him. Eragon blocked the blade with his own and counterattacked, as fast as possible, but his sword missed. On the other side of the clearing, Alaina had also appeared.

Eragon had the chance to get a good look at the shade. It was Tenga after all. His white robe had been replaced by a red one, and his eyes were red, on his skin that was deathly pale. His white beard had been cut short, and a twisted smile was on his aged face. His lighting quick movements were in contrast to the frail old man that he appeared to be. For a moment his eyes stopped at Angela, and silent communication passed between them. On her side, Solembum hissed and his hair stood on his back.

"At last we meet Shadeslayer. I have heard so much about you." He said. His voice had also changed from the time he had last seen him, it had become more deep, more commanding, as if he had been a king once, and not a peculiar old hermit living in an abandoned tower.

"You have made a grave mistake, burning Teirm." Eragon stated, as he attacked with his sword as fast as he could. Yet, his sword was blocked and with a counter attack, the shade's sword almost cut him on his arm. He was saved by his wards.

"Teirm was just the beginning. All of Alagaesia will drown in blood when I am done." Tenga stated. A circular movement of Eragon's sword, and then a sudden strike in midair, almost caught the shade by surprise, but at the last moment his sword met Eragon's.

"Finally, a worthy opponent." Tenga said and attacked, fast as lightning, a whirlwind of steel that Eragon's eyes could hardly follow. How could a man be so old and yet so quick? Even if he was a shade. Eragon was forced on the defensive, taking several steps back to avoid the deadly blade. Finally, a loud clash could be heard as Brisingr crashed on the shade's sword.

"Brisingr!" Eragon shouted and his sword burst into flame as he made a fast attack towards the shade. Startled, the shade took a step back, and was sliced on the shoulder, as Brisingr met flesh. Smoke rose from Tenga's body and an infernal scream of pain could be heard, as the black sword moved towards his body. Eragon could not block the blade and the sword striked him on his side, surprisingly, surpassing his wards.

"Thraista" he shouted as he pushed the shade away from him, away from a second fatal strike. The shade flew.

Arya attacked Alaina, not aiming to kill, but to tire her and stop her from fighting. On the opposite side Salador did the same. Angela had sheathed the dagger and taken a huthvir out, the two pointed spear that she used to fight. Alaina blocked both blades, but the spear was stopped by her wards to the surprise of Arya. Eragon had taught her well, if she was able to defend herself from three attackers at once. Firnen roared and slammed his tail on the ground near Alaina, trying to make her lose her balance, and Alaina fell on the ground. Quickly she rolled over and stood on her feet again. The problem was exactly that, they were fighting to tire her, and Salador was afraid of fighting her, in fear of harming her. Even Gadaroth was careful, unwilling to attack could they defeat her if she kept fighting them so fiercely? Where was Arget? The shade must have threatened Arget for Alaina to be fighting them.

"I'm so sorry." Alaina shouted again and again, mainly to Salador.

"I have to do this. I have to. You must understand!" Alaina said again for the hundredth time.

"What are you talking about? We came to save you and Arget." Salador shouted back, yet still she fought on, as with a quick movement she tried to hurt Angela. Her sword was blocked by her spear and with a quick counter attack, Angela tried to trip her on the ground.

"He has Arget. He will kill her if I don't fight you." she said, tears filling her eyes. Bruises covered her body, but she did not seem to feel them. A look of anguish was on her face.

Arya feigned an attack, and Salador tackled her from behind, as explosions and large booms could be heard from where Eragon and Tenga were fighting. Angela looked at the fight behind them with a concerned look, muttering something about dragons and men and stupid fights.

"Please, keep him safe" Arya thought.

With her body she pinned Alaina's arms, while Salador held her on the ground.

"No! Release me!" Alaina shouted but she could not move.

"Stop struggling" Salador said, with a grunt, as he was using all his strength to keep her on the ground.

Suddenly, a loud roar could be heard, a silver dragon appeared on the sky. Arget, and underneath her, a large army of elves, dressed in white shining armors, could be seen, glistening from the light of the sun, as they moved in the forrest, in perfect formations, their purple capes, moving from the wind, a white banner showing a tree and a dragon, on the head of the army.

Alaina stopped struggling.

"Arget!" she shouted.

Eragon had thought long on how to defeat the shade. His plan had gone well until the shade's blade had injured him. Saphira roared at the shade and attacked him, giving Eragon time to recover, as Tenga was forced to withdraw, to avoid the deadly claws and teeth of Saphira, and her even deadlier tail.

Quickly, with a whisper he called the name of the ancient language. He felt a river of power fill him, his power growing as with a few words, he changed spears of ice that were flowing his way at a deadly speed to harmless drops of water.

"Impressive." the shade stated, to hide its astonishment. For a few seconds it looked stunned, and Eragon took advantage of the momentary hesitation to run and swing at him with his sword, as he threw balls of fire, and lightning towards the shade, and Tenga's twisted heart.

"Perhaps Salador and Alaina were not exaggerating after all." Tenga said with a twisted smile, after he blocked the attacks. All the spells the shade threw at him, Eragon changed with the name of the ancient language.

Yet still, a spear of lightning that should have vanished in midair, struck him on the arm, throwing him in the air, as his armor broke and he felt hot blood running from the wound.

"Impossible" Eragon stated, as Tenga laughed maniacally.

"You use the name of the ancient language but you forget about wild magic. So learned for someone so young and yet so ignorant at the same time." Tenga said mockingly.

Of course, Eragon thought, as he healed himself from his injuries, using the power of the eldunaria. Wild magic did not need the ancient language to work. How could he forget? He would have to be more careful when fighting the shade.

He could not let the shade use wild magic again. It could be deadly for him. With all the strength of the eldunaria, he attacked the mind of Tenga, trying to gain control over the shade's thoughts. Surprisingly, the barriers on the shade's mind held, even barely, as the shade tried to gain access to Eragon's mind. For ten years, Eragon hd practiced daily with his students and Blodgharm to protect his mind and invade the minds of others. It was a struggle that they could keep for hours, the dragons fighting for Eragon against the multiple twisted spirits that had gained control of Tenga. Using more strength from the Eldunaria, he made Tenga unable to move. Trembles ran the earth as he tried to free himself, and more and more attacks came on his mind, yet still, Eragon walked towards the shade Brisingr at the ready. He lifted his sword, aiming at the shade's heart. His sword drew closer.

Another blast of thick air, struck him, to a tall tree, his wards protecting him from most of the damage as he slammed on it.

A loud roar could be heard and a storm of silver fire, joined by yellow and blue and green, as all four dragons attacked Tenga. A storm of lightning bolts, ice shards, rocks, fireballs and any other possible killing spell flew towards Tenga and englulfed him. Eragon looked at the forrest and saw a large army of elves, running towards them, the first elves already reaching him, protecting him from further harm.

Silence ruled the clearing, as Tenga appeared, injured yet still, alive as his heart was unharmed. Tenga had been weakened, and he faded away, from his injuries, a trick that Eragon had seen Durza use once. Right before, a loud malevolent laugh could be heard.

"We shall meet again, Shadeslayer." the voice said mockingly., before another fit of laughter overcame it

The dust settled, and Eragon could see as Alaina and Arget had been reunited. Salador approached Alaina, and Solembum were looking at the gathering with grins. When Alaina made no move to attack him, Salador ran towards her and hugged her, swirling her around, laughing and kissing her, the image of happiness. Eragon smiled at the sight of the two young students, who loved each other. Salador, who a few hours ago looked like a man sentenced to death, now laughed as she swirled the woman he loved in the air, faster and faster, laughing all the while. He was glad they were not injured. Tired from the fight and his injuries, he sat on the floor next to Saphira looking at them, and at Arya.


	32. Chapter 32: Plans of Victory

The city of Dras Leona was silent, in the late hours of the night. A cold winter wind passed among the houses, and droplets of rain had started to fall from the gray looming clouds. Guards manned the walls of the city, patrolling, with slow, deliberate steps. They held their spears at the ready, their eyes looking everywhere at once, looking for any potential danger. Large flags of Surda were moving from the wind atop the tall city towers, proclaiming that the city had been conquered.

Few people walked in the streets at this hour, not for fear of scoundrels and thieves, but for fear of the Surdan soldiers. Merchants had already retired to their beds, no longer selling their wares, and every inn in the city was filled to the brim, with Surdan soldiers, drinking and dancing and singing.

A large castle stood in the center of the city, its strong white stone walls, contrasting with the darkness of the night. A strong Iron gate, guarded by a squadron of soldiers led inside the luxurious castle, where King Orrin's rooms were located.

In the wide, richly decorated room, where the Governor of Dras Leona had ruled the city before it was captured, King Orrin sat on a golden throne, he had ordered made, wearing the crown of the Empire upon his head. He wore a dark red robe and a thick white furry cape to keep him warm. His face was serious, his dark eyes full of hatred, and a scowl marked his face, revealing his emotions. King Orrin was lost, deep in his own thoughts, as he looked at the table, full of maps, and other military reports and he absentmindedly turned his golden scepter on the ground . Standing in front of him Malik, his best general was looking intently at the floor, not wanting to meet the gaze of his king. Around him, more generals were aligned, trying to not seem nervous in front of their king. Lewin and Karlon. Two generals that always fought for who would influence Orrin, who would have more power and who always plotted against each other. Lewin had red hair, and dark gray eyes, a slight scowl always on his face, and a small scar from an old battle on his cheek. Karlon had black hair and a short build, his thick forearms were marked by a falcon and an eagle, his face covered with a thick short beard.

A great fury took over him at the thought of his defeat. Roran's army had managed to defeat him at the most crucial stage of the campaign, the battle for Iliria. The dwarves and elves and most important, the dragon riders had managed to arrive on time in the city to help the defenders. Why were the other races always sticking their noses to human affairs that did not concern them. How dared they interfere in his plans? He would make them all pay for their insolence! For him, he would be happy for the elves to hide in the forrest for the rest of time, and for the dwarves to vanish in their underground cities. How was he to defeat the dragons and riders when he had no rider of his own? He needed to be more powerful, he needed some special weapon to hold their own against the riders. But what could that be? Only silence answered him, when he asked that question to his generals. Useless, all of them! He was surrounded by fools who could not tie their own shoes without guidance. He would defend what he had conquered to the bitter end, he would not back away in front of this danger, if he had to flog each and every one of his soldiers to stand their ground!

His heart beat faster, and his hand pressed the hilt of his golden scepter with all his strength, as he felt that hatred again for Roran. In the hours since the defeat in Iliria, he had spent all his time trying to reunite his army, to bring them back to Dras Leona. Once he had gathered as many soldiers from his defeated army, as he could, he had spent countless hours trying to form a plan to deal with Roran. He had finally come upon a plan that could work, and he was fairly certain it would take care of him. It all depended on Malik, who was standing now in front of him. For a moment he studied the man and then he nodded.

"You may leave us, Malik to carry out your mission." Orrin said with a cold voice. Malik saluted and immediately turned, and with measured steps he exited the throne room.

Orrin's eyes followed Malik until he vanished. He was a good general. His mind studied the maps in front of him, searching desperately for a solution.

"I want Roran hindered at every step. I want them to pay with blood, for every inch of land they take back." Orrin commanded. Orrin shivered at the thought of the army coming towards him. What was he to do with the riders and elves? He knew that they were dangerous and needed to be stopped. What was taking Murtagh so long to appear? He had captured Nasuada to lure him in and force him to serve him. He knew that Murtagh knew the name of the ancient language. He would make him reveal it to him once he had captured him and his dragon. He still remembered clearly the letter he had sent to Murtagh. He could do nothing more than wait. When he appeared, Murtagh would be captured. But he needed the bloody man right this instant! It seemed everything was working against him.

Murtagh would be useful against the elves, since he could control the ancient language, but what would control the riders? What could possibly control a group of the most powerful magicians the world had ever seen?

"Your Highness, if it pleases you I would like to speak" Lewin, one of his Generals said hesitantly.

"Speak then. Do not waste my time." Orrin warned with a harsh voice.

"Your Highness, I believe I have a solution for the riders, to be able to destroy them." Lewin stated.

Orrin remained silent and lifted an eyebrow waiting for an explanation.

"There are rumors from the north. A shade has been released to the world, a very powerful shade. It is said that it killed everyone in the city of Teirm. It is said that he has the powers of a God, that he killed Eragon Shadeslayer. It is said he has dragon riders under his command." Lewin stated.

"A shade?" Orrin laughed. "Is that your brilliant solution to my problem?". Karlon laughed along with Orrin.

"Please, your highness. He harbors a great hatred for the riders. It is said while he killed the people of Teirm he used magic as has never been seen before, blood magic or black magic. He is against the riders. We are against the riders. The enemy of our enemy is our friend." Lewin said trying to persuade Orrin.

Another fool, who believed rumors. There was no way Eragon Shadeslayer was dead. How could anyone believe such nonsense? Still, the man had a point. It could be wise to have the shade on his side, as an ally. Perhaps until he had solved this problem of Roran and his army. A plan started to form in his mind. Plans, strategies that would lead him to victory.

"My Lord?" Lewin said uncertainly.

"Go to this shade, Lord Lewin. I want him as an ally, on our side." King Orrin stated.

"Yes, your highness." Lewin said with a confident voice.

"I shall write him a letter to invite him here to discuss." Orrin stated as Lewin bowed. Servants rushed towards Orrin, bringing him pen and paper. His mood was slightly better.

"And bring me some wine!" Orrin ordered with a furious voice. Useless the lot of them he thought. The servants rushed to obey.

The great green forest lied in front of Roran and his men. The army had left Iliria two days ago and was slowly marching towards Dras Leona to recapture it from King Orrin's forces. The soldiers were in neat ranks, marching next to each other. He had sent scouts ahead, to report on enemy movement, and he was waiting for their reports. If there was one thing that was vital in any campaign, it was the information on the enemy forces. Knowing your enemy was very important, knowing their numbers, their supply routes, their strongholds and their weaknesses were all part of gaining victory.

"Genral! The scouts have returned! All but two of them." a soldier reported.

"Where were these two scouts last seen?" Roran asked.

"The southern part of the road, sir" the soldier reported.

"Perhaps there is an ambush ahead. Tell the men to walk with their eyes open." Roran ordered.

"Sir, yes sir!"

Roran looked at the ranks of the soldiers, all veterans of many battles now. The men looked tired, but their confidence had been boosted by the great victory they had against the Surdans. He had exploited this victory as much as possible, boosting their morale, using it to hire more men for the army, to cover the losses his side had suffered in the battles. His attention was drawn by an old man, walking amongst some young soldiers, his white hair waving in the air, and his face with at least three scars. He walked stiffly, as if his knee was hurting him, but his head was held high and proudly.

"Alfaeon" Roran said his name, calling his attention. He had learned the name of each soldier, he had talked to them, and seen them in battle, he had risked his life alongside them. They were like his family.

The man turned his head and looked at Roran with a smile.

"I hear General Stronghammer means to march us all the way to Dras Leona without a stop. Will you manage with that leg?" Roran asked with a smile.

"What does not kill you, makes you stronger." the soldier replied.

"I doubt you heard right though. I think General Stronghammer understands his men better than they do themselves. I think he knows that marching us all the way to Dras Leona without a stop would only make us easier for the picking." the soldier said and Roran laughed.

"You think so?" Roran asked.

"What I think is unimportant. What I know is that even if that was the case, each and every one of us is ready to follow General Stonghammer to the Gates of the Underworld themselves" Alfaeon stated, his ocy blue eyes looking straight into Roran's.

"A lucky general indeed." Roran chuckled, and moved forward to lead the army.

Alarik, his second in command, was already shouting at the men, making them keep in line, to keep marching towards Dras Leona. His injuries had been healed by a magician, and once again he looked formidable, a mass of muscle. His strong hand was grabbing the hilt of his sword, and his shiny breastplate reflected the rays of the sun. His harsh green eyes stopped at Roran and a large grin appeared on his face.

"General, a great day for hunting Surdans." he stated.

"Indeed". Roran replied.

"Have the men ready for an attack. You lead the right wing, Albriech at the centre, and I will lead the left wing." Roran ordered.

"Sir." Alarik replied saluting.

Roran looked at the army once more, the humans. The dwarves were led by Orik, marching behind them and the Elves by Lord Dathedr. He needed to talk to them for the road ahead. He suspected that King Orrin would try to defend the land as harshly as possible. They still had four or five days until they reached Dras Leona.

For a moment he sighed, trying to relax his mind, thinking about his family. What were they doing? He had not seen them for a few days. He prayed to all the Gods that they were fine. With another sigh he looked at the road ahead. He had an army to lead, but hopefully not at the Gates of the Underworld as Alfaeon has said a few minutes ago.


	33. Chapter 33: Kidnapping

The sky above Iliria was dark as fierce rain fell from the sky, the only light coming from the great lines of lightning that marked it every few seconds, with thundering sounds. Dark boiling clouds and cold strong winds raged, announcing the coming of winter. The large banners and flags of the empire, that were located on the walls and towers, made throbbing noises from the air, and almost snapped from the force of the wind. Common people walked the streets, their feet splashing in large puddles of water and mud, as those that could tried to find cover. On the northern, richer section of the city, near the Palace, nobles rode their horses, as their hooves made loud clacking sounds as they walked in the rock paved streets of the city. Smoke came from the chimneys of houses as the people tried to warm themselves lighting the fireplaces.

Malik's soldiers kept silent as they looked upon their commander. They had entered the city secretly, within a merchant's cart, hidden inside barrels and most were complaining about stiff backs and legs. They wore no armor, but they all wore dark cloaks to hide their faces, now that they were preparing for their mission. They had walked the streets as ordinary citizens. Only Malik wore a dark armor, masterly hidden by a red soldier's cloak. His expression was dark and his blue eyes looked upon the house that they were about to attack. One of his muscular hands was on his sword, and the other was unconsciously scratching his chin as he thought the best way to complete the mission.

He could still listen to Orrin's harsh command. The king of Surda had been in one of his legendary dark moods after the defeat from Roran's army, shouting and raging and drinking wine to forget his troubles. He always killed a few soldiers when he was in such a mood, and Malik had been glad to find an excuse to leave the man. It would not be past Orrin to claim that Malik had been responsible for the Surdan defeat and find himself on the executioner's block in less time than it took to close his eyes.

_"I want them captured Malik. I want Roran's family captured. I want him to beg for their release." _the man had said, with a cold voice, even though Malik doubted the man would release them once he had them captured. He would probably kill them, first chance he got in a public execution. He could not avoid that. He only wished he was on the right side, with the spectators, and not on the stage awaiting his death.

This was the reason that they were in the city, and this was why they had been looking at this particular house on the northern part of the city. They were too close to the palace for any comfort, and the house was guarded by five soldiers at all times. The house was richly decorated, with white circular columns and a large garden, and the white stone walls, matched those of the Palace. The richly decorated wooden door had a heavy metallic doorknob the shape of a hammer. The windows had light and sounds of shouting could be heard from the inside, but he could not really tell from whom.

"Dervin, report." Malik ordered, to one of his men, as the man approached.

"Sir, the family is inside, as far as I can tell. There are eight guards, after all. They change every four hours. Two guard the gates at all times.

"Very good Dervin." Malik stated and the soldeir beamed with pride. He was a skinny man, who liked causing people pain. Malik was sure, he would be a man Orrin liked. He did not really see a point for this mission, other than getting revenge on Roran, but a mission was a mission and he had to carry it out, even if he doubted it's usefulness.

"We wait for darkness. Then we strike." Malik ordered and the men around him nodded, showing they understood. They had to hide in a small alley as they did not want to draw attention to themselves before that. He had nothing to do other than wait, as his clothes got slowly soaked by the water from the rain.

Night came, and with it, the rain stopped. Everything was silent. With a slight hand motion, Malik ordered his men forward. They walked the dark stone streets silently, until they reached the house. The soldiers were still there, guarding the house. Silently, walking in shadow, Malik went near the gate of the house, to knock out one of the soldiers, while Dervin walked on the other side, to knock the second. With a sudden motion, he grabbed the soldier's neck and a loud cracking sounded in the night. The man fell, and a few seconds later, the second guard followed. Malik opened the gate, and a guard pointed his spear toward him.

"Who goes there?" the man shouted. There was no point in stealth anymore.

With a quick motion, Malik stabbed the man, and the man shouted as he fell. More guards came from the side of the house, and his soldiers fought them. He blocked a spear with his sword and he was surprised when his sword found a shield as he counter attacked. Then with a surprise attack, he stabbed the guard below his neck. In a few seconds, none of the guards remained. They had lost three good men in the fighting.

They had wasted precious time. People had listened to the sound of fighting and would soon be there. He looked at the beautifully carved door and with a sigh he kicked it with all his strength. The door did not move. He kicked it again and again, until finally the door opened with a crash. An arrow passed above his shoulder, the moment the door crashed, and it killed another of his men. Before the girl could react he broke the bow with a swing from his sword.

"Don't play with things you don't understand little girl." he told her.

A loud scream sounded form her and she ran. A flying toy hit him on the back, and a boy attacked him. Malik turned, and avoided the blow. More of his soldiers entered.

"Seize them". Malik ordered. The boy had managed to get a kitchen knife.

"You're too young to play with that, boy!" a soldier said and the young boy stepped back. He couldn't be more than eight, yet a determined expression was on his face.

"My name is Garrow, son of Lord Stronghammer and you will leave this place at once!" the boy dared to command.

Malik laughed. The boy had courage.

"Where is your mother, boy?" he asked.

"She's in the palace." the boy said.

Malik cursed. Why was the woman in the palace? He would have Dervin's hide.

A soldier attempted to grab the boy and he easily took the knife from him. Still, the boy resisted, as he bit the hand of the soldier.

"Leave me alone!" he said as the soldier shouted, surprised. Then with a strong slap, the boy fell on the floor, unconscious.

"Find the girl." Malik ordered as he took the boy on his shoulder, hanging. Loud steps could be heard on the wooden floor, as the Surdans searched for the girl. She had killed one of his soldiers. A loud scream was heard as she was found, loud enough to be heard from two blocks away.

Mes shouted outside the house, as word spread that the house was attacked. They had a few minutes at most, before the whole city guard was upon them.

"Tie her and burn the house!" Malik ordered as with a motion he knocked a candle on a rug. His soldiers hurried to obey, and soon smoke filled the common room of the house, and a large flame had covered the beautifully decorated salon.

"Leave, quickly!" Malik ordered. They had planned their escape and his soldiers ran away from the house, carrying the two children. They turned a small alley and horses were waiting for them. Malik climbed his horse and put the still unconscious boy on his saddle in front of him.

"Move!" Malik shouted, his heart beating faster and faster. This was supposed to be a stealthy mission, but everything had gone to naught, an unexpected number of guards in the house, the children fighting and hiding and killing his men, and most importantly, Katrina missing. Orrin would not be pleased, even if they did manage to escape with their lives.

The horses ran, the loud sound of their hooves on the rocky road, echoing on the buildings. A city gate was close to this location and they ran towards it, as soldiers of the empire, cried alarmed. A loud horn sounded in the city, warning of an attack, and the guards ran to close the gates of the city.

"Move it damn you! Move or I'll skin you alive and give your worthless hides to the dogs to feed from!". He would have said more, but his breath was caught, as he could only watch as the guards started to lower the gates.

The gate grew closer and closer. The gate started to close. He ducked as his horse passed, a Surdan riding beside him, and two more riding behind him. They all managed to pass, the gates to freedom, except for the last man who shouted in frustration. Malik grimaced. He was a dead man.

"He was a good man." Dervin said after he managed to control his emotions, happy to be free, and away from that city.

"Let's see if this was worth all the trouble." Malik stated. He had lost half his men in this mission. He looked at the small boy, hanging from him saddle and at the tied screaming girl, on Dervin's, as she looked with eyes that looked like daggers. This better be worth it, Malik thought. He hated putting his soldiers in unnecessary danger, especially if it involved risking his precious life in worthless missions.

The horses neighed, as they ran faster, and disappeared in the night. Malik knew there would be city guards following them, in a few minutes. They had to move as fast as they could towards Dras Leona, but they also had to get rid of these pursuers, make them lose their tracks. He did not have the numbers to fight them.


	34. Chapter 34: Escape

Dark clouds covered the sky, and lightnings flashed every few seconds, but the rain had stopped falling from the sky, as the small party made their way towards Dras Leona. Malik looked at the clouds with distaste, and the soldiers looked grim, as if the weather affected their mood in the same dark direction. The horses ran on the muddy ground, quickly, trying to cover as much ground as possible. It had been a day since their escape from Iliria and since then, they had ran to outpace their pursuers.

For a whole day the empire soldiers had followed them, covering the distance behind them, but they still could not catch Malik's small party. At last, Malik had managed to lose the soldiers, at the cover of darkness, crossing a small stream of water that had formed, and ordering their tracks covered for a small distance. Of course, he knew this would not work for long, but combined with the constant rain that made puddles everywhere, it could be enough.

Tied on Malik's chestnut mare, Ismira was sitting, trying not to fall from the horse. Her hands had started to become numb, as the rope that tied her hands on her back was tight, and she awkwardly tried to find a more comfortable position to sit in. Her auburn hair was waving behind her from the cold air, as the horse ran. Her blue eyes, were looking fiercely at the soldiers who had captured her and she scowled, as she looked upon Malik. His only reaction was to grin at her, as his fierce dark eyes, stared at her.

On a white horse next to her, Garrow was also tied, his hands behind his back, as he kicked his legs, in a vain attempt to get free. He cursed at the soldiers with all his heart, some phrases that made Ismira blush, but the soldiers only laughed when they heard the obscenities, especially since they came from a young boy. The soldiers had already beaten him once, but her brother showed courage still, fighting like a caged lion. She hoped his courage would last until the night. They were going to need it when they tried to escape.

_"We need to escape" _Ismira thought._ "But how?_". She raked her brain for a plan, but nothing spectacular came. She was sure for only one thing. The soldiers would tire and would eventually stop for the night. That was the time to escape. If only she could find something sharp to get rid of the ropes tying her hands. With a loud sigh, she released the air she was holding in her lungs. For now she could do nothing but wait, looking for any weakness, ready to pounce at any opportunity. Still, her efforts were in vain. The soldiers were careful, around her and her brother.

For years they had fought each other, Ismira enjoying making Garrow angry and stealing his toys, as he made mocking faces. Their fights were famous across Carvahall, but now, they were both in danger and it would be wise to work together. They were family after all and they needed to look after each other. Being older made it her responsibility and she would do anything to keep Garrow from harm.

"I need water." Ismira said, feeling thirsty, her throat dry as sand and her mouth sticky.

"You heard the girl, Dervin. Bring the young lady water" Malik said with a grin. Dervin rushed to obey as he filled a cup of water. As Malik took it from his hand, he dropped it all on Ismira's clothes.

"You can drink water when we stop in the night. Not sooner" Malik said with a harsh voice.

Once again she scowled at Malik and the soldiers around her. She would not get angry. She would wait for the right moment. Malik only grinned, as he looked ahead, and Ismira shivered as the cold water soaked her clothes.

"You can't treat my sister so, you cowardly pig.!" Garrow shouted and he kicked the soldier who was carrying him on his horse. The man groaned with pain and slapped Garrow.

"Tie his legs." Malik ordered as Garrow shouted.

Dervin looked ahead, as if nothing from the scene affected him. Another young soldier looked lost in his thoughts. It seems his two friends had died in Iliria and he was deep in thought, his eyes showing great sadness. On his left was another soldier, who looked grimfaced and scowled back at Ismira and Garrow.

The final soldier looked angry at Malik for treating Ismira and Garrow so. His fierce brown eyes looked with hatred at the commander. He was the kinder of the soldiers towards them, as he said that Ismira and Garrow reminded him of his own children, back in Aberon.

Time passed and mile after mile they traveled closer and closer to Dras Leona and King Orrin. Ismira was afraid. Her heart beat faster and all she could do was make small rebellions which often ended in pain and frustration. Finally darkness came, and the shining moon was the only light that could be seen. The soldiers looked tired around her.

"Halt! We stop here for the night.!" Malik ordered. His soldiers rushed to obey and create the tents. Five tents overall, one for each soldier and one for Ismira and Garrow. A large campfire was built in the middle and Dervin and another soldier cooked some stew over the fire. A soldier was tying the horses on the western part of the camp, and on the east, Malik's tent had been built. Ismira absorbed every detail she could, for she knew she would need it to escape. She had to escape or she would end up dead or worse.

Malik sat near the campfire drinking wine, and laughing at a joke Dervin said. The kind soldier smiled towards her, and the thoughtful young soldier was eating his stew distractedly, still absorbed in his own thoughts. Garrow was sitting on a tree near the campfire, a soldier guarding him as he was eating his food and savoring the water he was drinking. A soldier shoved Ismira near him and she too was given food and water.

Soon, when every soldier had eaten, Malik ordered her and Garrow into the prisoner's tent. He looked unsteady, as if he had too much to drink and his eyes looked glassy, as if he was not too conscious of what he was doing.

"Dervin you have first watch." Malik ordered as the other soldiers went into the tents.

Ismira was shoved in the prisoner's tent, her hands and legs tied with a rope, and a gag in her mouth! She was tied on the center wooden pole of the tent and Garrow was also in the same condition, muffled cries hiding his words.

"Stay here and shut up!" Dervin ordered, as he exited the tent.

The minutes passed and Ismira could feel the time pass, slowly, as Garrow's shouts subsided and finally she heard him crying. For all her courage, she felt like crying herself. No, she would not let herself cry. She was responsible for Garrow, and they would both escape tonight!. Furiously she attacked the ropes trying to get her hands out but she only managed to bruise her hands wanted to scream with frustration.

Behind her, Garrow did the same, frantically. For several minutes he struggled, until finally with a laughing motion he stopped.

"That was harder than I thought." he said. "Baldor showed me once how to do it. He makes it look so easy." Garrow whispered.

Ismira smiled, as with the corner of her eye, she saw Garrow untying his other arm from the rope. On his right hand, he was holding a sharp rock. Where did he find that? she asked herself.

Soon Garrow was free, and silently he untied Ismira's hands and legs.

"Where did you get that rock?" Ismira asked.

"I saw it while we were riding. I took it when Dervin beat me the second time." Ismira lifted her eyebrows. He had willingly put himself in danger to get the rock and untie his hands. Proud of him she hugged him.

"Now what?" Garrow asked silently.

"Now comes the hardest part." Ismira whispered, as if what they had done already was not hard enough!.

Very carefully, she looked outside the tent. Small drops of rain had started to fall again from the sky, and thunders could be heard from the sky. At least the rain would mask some sounds. Perhaps she would only have to deal with one soldier. Dervin was sitting outside the tent, his head looking straight ahead, thinking. His hand was on his knee and his sword was in his scabbard.

Ismira motioned silently. She opened the tentflap and felt the raindrops on her skin. Without sound, Ismira tried to walk behind Dervin to surprise him, but Garrow stepped on a branch, making a noise. As Dervin turned, his hand on his sword, ready to draw it out, Ismira kicked him on his leg, forcing him to move his hand away from his sword, to stop his face from crashing on the ground. A shout came from his mouth, but Garrow attacked him also with the sharp rock hitting him on the face, blood coming away along with the rock.

Dervin shouted but he still managed to punch Garrow away, who fell on the floor. Ismira grabbed a small knife from Dervin's torso and sliced Dervin's neck just as he managed to release his sword. Surprised, the man touched his neck, looking at the blood as he fell on the ground with a loud thump.

"So much for stealth." Ismira said loudly as she slapped Garrow's face for him to regain consciousness.

Around them, the three other soldiers and Malik came out of their tents, swords in their hands, as they looked outside to see what all the shouting was for. Then, they spotted them, and Dervin's dead body. A deep sclowl came upon one of the soldier's faces and an angry expression was on the other soldier's face. The kind soldier showed an expression of remorse, as he unsheathed his blade, as if he was sorry for what he was about to do.

Garrow grabbed the heavy sword, as if he intended to fight with it, when he could barely lift it himself. He was only eight years old, not Eragon Shadeslayer and it would be well for him to remember it. They had no choice but to run. Running, Ismira left towards the western part of the camp where the horses were tied, while Garrow struggled to keep up still carrying the sword in his hand. He could be stubborn beyond belief, sometimes!

"Stop right there!" a soldier shouted from behind them.

Ismira hastily sliced the rope that held the horse to the tree and lfted herself on it. Garrow was still on the ground and the soldier was almost upon him. The soldier lifted his sword for a blow, and Garrow defended himself barely, but the sword fell from his hands, too weak to stop a blow from a grown man. The soldier lifted his sword again, and Ismira knew that she had to do something. She had to save him. Soldiers came from all sides and soon she too would be captured. Desperation clouded her thoughts and her heart beat faster. She only had seconds before the sword descended. She acted without thinking. Deep within her mind she found a barrier and she attacked it with all her might. Suddenly, she felt her body fill with energy. Her body filled to bursting with energy, she knew she needed to release the energy or die. The sword was almost on Garrow's throat. She released the energy, a ball of water large as a big ball and hard as a rock smashed on the soldier's face. The man fell backwards with a surprised shout and remained still. Two more soldiers came towards her, and without thinking she did the same to one. Ismira led her horse to avoid a blow from a sword and with a burst from her mind she threw the man who had attacked her on the ground.

A memory came in her mind of an elf in Carvahall. For days she had pestered him to show her magic, to explain to her and show her, and for days the elf had just looked at her as if she was crazy, and laughed at her requests. Still, when she wanted something she got it, as everyone in Carvahall knew and the elf had finally explained to her how magic worked. She had used magic!

She felt her body give way, her heart beat slower as blackness covered her vision.

Garrow saw the devastation around him. Ismira, his sister had used magic! He would have laughed if he was in any other situation but they were still in danger. Malik had stayed clear from the sudden devastation and now he looked stunned. His soldiers lay on the ground, dead or injured. Unmoving.

He needed to act now! He grabbed the sword and with a quick motion he cut the ropes of the horses. Scared, the animals ran away as fast as they could. He had only a few seconds before Malik recovered and ran towards them.

"Stop! I command you to stop!" the man said and Garrow climbed as fast as he could on Ismira's horse. His sister was on the saddle, dead or unconscious, he could not tell and he did not have time to find out.

With a shout he made the horse start, as a burst of speed put him away from the man who had been two meters away ready to strike at them.

"Faster!' he shouted at the horse slapping it, as he had seen some riders do. The horse neighed, but it obeyed. Ismira lolled at the saddle, her back moving toward him. He hoped with all his heart she was alive.

Please let her be alive! he repeated in his mind, as if this would make it true.

At least they had escaped. He was still too stunned on the way that had happened.

"I'll find you, you little witch!" Malik shouted behind them, his angry shout clear as crystal in the night.

"I'll make you pay!" the man shouted and Garrow looked behind him at the camp, disappearing behind him.

Malik had no horses to follow quickly, but Garrow was not willing to take any chances. With another shout, he made the horse go in a breakneck speed.


	35. Chapter 35: Red Rider

_The dark sky was filled with smoke and Murtagh could hear the screams of dying men. He could see the red blood and the corpses of elves, Humans, Urgals and Dwarves covering the ground. He could smell the fear of soldiers as they were fighting. He saw two large armies colliding with each other. They both had serious casualties and the two armies did not have any battle formations. They were fighting disorganized in small groups, with no side having the advantage.. Darkness, encompassed most of his surroundings, as if the world did not want to reveal itself to his eyes._

_Suddenly, he heard a loud noise, as a dragon roared with pain, . It was a blue dragon. Saphira. In the middle of the area were two men, opposing each other, ready to strike. The walls around the man and the dragon, protecting them from incoming enemy blows and arrows, had been long gone. Murtagh realised that one of them was Eragon. On the opposite side, a man with a large white beard, and dark eyes faced him. His hair was red, and he wore dark robes. His facehad a mocking grin. Eragon wore a bright blue armor shining as the sunlight reflected on it, and a shield on his left hand. He held Brisingr on his hands on a downward position, as he prepared to fight . A passive expression was on his face, and he seemed confident that he was going to win the fight. An incoming attack came from behind Eragon, but Eragon did not realize. Murtagh wanted to shout, to warn Eragon of the attack, to protect his half brother but he could only look on at the fight._

"_You disappoint me Shadeslayer... An old man could fight better than that" he heard the shade saying as he looked at his opponent. Behind him, dragons roared in pain a dark and terrible sound._

_Suddenly, the shade's dark eyes turned to Murtagh, black flames engulfing him, covering everything in darkness, as a terrible pain filled his body. Murtagh was helpless._

_"You will kill Shadeslayer." the shade said._

_He felt his hands move and his sword was drawn, Eragon looking at him with him, Saphira roared in anguish._

"Nooo!" Murtagh shouted with all his strength as he suddenly stood up, He felt sweaty and his breathing became loud as his heart was beating faster. He looked around, his eyes wide.

For a moment Murtagh forgot where he was. He felt the ground as he was lying on the floor next to his dragon. He had arrived outside Dras Leona, four nights before. For days he had watched the movements of the Surdan troops inside the city. He had spied on the Surdans, marking their positions, keeping an eye on their commanders. His interest was inside the city, where the love of his life was being held captive. He knew, because he had captured a soldier and interrogated him. He had taken special care to note the time that the guards changed in the prison and to prepare every single detail in his plan. There could only be one chance to succeed in this attempt. He would either fly out of the city, with the love of his life, or once again he would end up a slave to a mad king.

_"What is wrong little one? You seem like you just saw death himself in your dream"_, Thorn said with his musical voice.

Murtagh quickly explained his dream to Thorn with as many details as he could remember and when he finished, he could still sense some shivers on his back.

_"Do you think it was a premonition?"_ Murtagh asked worriedly. He did not want to think about that.

_"Hush little one. It was just a bad dream. You are anxious about tonight, that is all"_ Thorn said trying to wash away Murtagh's emotions.

_"I am not my father!"_ he shouted at Thorn.

"I know that." Thorn said calmly.

_"What if the dream was a premonition? What if I do become like my father? There is no guarantee that I will not, Thorn."_

"_Do not worry partner of my mind. I will not let you be like Morzan. I will not let you do the crimes that he did. You have a kind heart Murtagh. You are nothing like Morzan. He was a traitor to his own order, he was blood thirsty and he never knew the difference between what was right and wrong. You are different than him. That is why this dream managed to disturb you so much, and that is why I hatched for you."_ Thorn said.

His eyes watered as tears started flowing from his eyes. He felt doomed.

"_I saw Eragon's face, Thorn. It was the same face with the gold rider when Galbatorix contolled my sword and killed him in Gil'lead. Saphira's roar was the same with the large gold dragon as you bit his neck! "_Murtagh shouted mentally.

_"Do not blame yourself for the gold dragon and his rider deaths. You had no control over your body, Murtagh. It is Galbatorix you should blame for their death._" Thorn said trying to calm him down.

"_I am afraid Thorn!. I am still afraid of being a puppet for another mad king. I don't want to serve mad kings anymore!. I want to be free! Nasuada is in there, as a bait for me and Orrin is waiting for me to attempt to free her. What if I fail? I will not serve another mad king! I'd rather die!."_ Murtagh stated with a firm voice.

"_Me too. But that is why we will not get captured. We have come here to free Nasuada and that is what we will do._" Thorn said, lowering his big head, his crimson red eyes bearing holes in Murtagh's skull.

"You are right Thorn. What would I do without you?" Murtagh said sending a wave of love to Thorn.

"You would still be a young proud warrior lost in his thoughts of misery" Thorn said chuckling and soon Murtagh joined him.

"Are you ready? There's no point wasting any more time." Thorn stated and Murtagh hopped on his saddle. With a quick spell he made himself and Thorn invisible.

The night was dark, and the little light from the moon, made it easier for them to move inside the city unnoticed from the gurds and the few people who travelled the rock paved roads.. Soon, Thorn landed on the roof of the prison. A Surdan guard came running towards them, gripping his spear on his hand, and even though he looked upon them, he saw nothing. The soldier must have heard the commotion from Thorn's wings as he landed but assumed it was nothing. He turned around, and Murtagh stabbed him with Zarroc in the neck. Another man, seeing the first soldier fall, stopped short, but before he could shout Murtagh knocked him on the head with the pommel of his sword.

"So far so good." Murtagh stated.

"Yes, we have entered the lion's den. Let us take care not to wake our unknowing host." Thorn said and Murtagh smiled.

Murtagh quickly undressed the dead soldier and put the dead soldiers clothes and armor on.

_"I will stay here. Bring Nasuada and let us be off."_ Thorn said, impatiently.

Murtagh nodded. A locked, wooden heavy door barred his way inside the prison. With a spell, he unlocked the door and pushed to get inside the building. A wide room with a large table and several chairs, covered the area. The room was empty, but Murtagh could hear the steps of guards. He forced his breathing to slow down, but his heart was still jumping whenever he heard a sound. His hand gripped the pommel of his sword, and with quick confident steps, he moved from shadow to shadow. The light from torches on the walls, betrayed his shadow, but few guards noticed it. A guard who came to investigate was knocked out by Murtagh after passing by, seeing only the armor he had stolen from the dead soldier, thinking he was another guard.

Soon, after descending some stone stairs, the darkest room yet, greeted him. In a corner, three men were playing cards, drinking ale, and laughing while the sound of coins changing hands could be heard. A dark, iron door led to inside the dungeon itself.

"Another full house! Damn, you have the luck of three men!" a soldier complained while another one laughed. The third soldier looked angry and reluctantly gave some of his coins.

"This time I'll show you." the last man said, determined.

"Another of your bluffs? Please..." the second man said but before he could say anything else they all noticed Murtagh.

"What do you want here?" one of them said, half gripping his sword.

"Hold your horses! King Orrin sent me, he wants a certain lady for the night, if you catch my drift." Murtagh said winking. He had taken a wild guess.

Nervous laughter came from the soldiers.

"I wonder who will it be this time? Lady Elenia perhaps, or that tavern wench we caught stealing from our men. He seems to prefer these two most. Or perhaps, he wants to try something new, Queen Nasuada herself this time?" the first soldier said.

The grin stayed on Murtagh's face, even though after hearing that, it was mostly showing his teeth. A great fury took hold of him, but he forced himself to relax. It was not time yet. First he needed to find Nasuada. Then, he would have time enough for the rest.

"Of course, it would not do for our king's... endeavors...to reach the ears of people outside, which is why he has left a few bottles of the best wine, outside." Murtagh said.

"Our lips are sealed." one of the soldiers replied with a smile. "Off you go then. " he continued.

"Come Faron, stop wasting time by pretending you're asleep! I feel my luck is good today, and it would be a shame not to take advantage of it and strip the both of you out of all the coins you have." the second soldier said, as the last soldier grumbled something Murtagh was glad not to hear in response.

Murtagh closed the door, glad the soldiers had not recognized him. He needed to move. On both sides, doors with bars could be seen. Murtagh checked all the rooms, but most were empty. Some, had a few tortured souls inside them, begging to be released, while another held men, full of scars. One cell contained the largest man Murtagh had ever seen, his big muscular body chained on the wall, as he screamed at him, cursing.

Finally, after he descended another floor, Murtagh stopped. A large group of guards, seven on eight men, waited outside one of the doors. Their eyes looked around, and their hands held spears and swords.

A few seconds passed, for Murtagh to devise a plan. His heart beat faster at the thought. He could not afford a single mistake, if he wanted to help Nasuada escape and not get caught himself.

"_This better work..or I'm doomed._" Murtagh thought.

With a spell, he opened an empty cell. Then with a clatter he fell on the floor, a shout escaping him, as if surprised. The guards on Nasuada's door looked at him, and he shouted.

"Quick! He is escaping! Quick!" Murtagh shouted as if in a panic.

Three soldiers ran towards him, their eyes looking at the corridor behind him. A few meters away from him, Murtagh drew his sword. Fatser than a man could see, he moved and beheaded one of the soldiers. With a sudden move on the right, he stabbed the other man on the neck. The third soldier had just managed to draw his sword and was preparing to strike, when Murtagh stabbed him in the heart, his sword passing the guards armor.

Four more soldiers remained in front of the door. Shocked by their comrades deaths, they had stopped running, but they had drawn their swords ready to defend themselves. Before anyone could blow a horn for an alarm, Murtagh used magic.

"Slytha" he shouted at one of the soldiers as he fell on the floor, sleeping. Another soldier ran for the horn but Murtagh stopped him by throwing him on a wall. He used a spell to muffle the man's shout of pain. A few seconds later, the man fell unconscious. The two remaining soldiers attacked him together. For a few seconds, he was forced to defend himself, moving his sword frantically, to avoid the blows. Finally, with a quick move, he flanked one of the soldiers, stabbing him on the side. The soldier fell with a shout. The last soldier looked at him with contempt. On his left hand, was the key to Nasuada's cell door. A large smile appeared on his face.

"So, you have come finally." the man said.

"Give me the key, and I will not hurt you." Murtagh ordered.

The soldier laughed.

"You think that shout was not heard from every guard in this building? Soon the whole corridor will be full of armed men. I don't think you are in a position to order me, slave." the man said sarcastically.

Murtagh attacked with all his might, their swords crashing together with a loud clang. He defended himself from two attacks on his sides, his footwork sure, as he had been taught so many years before. With a cirular movement, his sword scratched the man's armor, and Murtagh ducked to avoid a blow that would have cut his head. Another blow came from the soldier but his sword was stopped by Murtagh's wards. With a kick,Murtagh slammed the man on the wall, and with another circular movement, he cut the man's hand off.

Another terrifying scream came out of the soldier, as if the first was not enough. The whole building must have heard, though, they might have assumed it was coming from the torturers chamber.

Without wasting any more time, Murtagh avoided a blow and stabbed the last soldier in the chest. The man fell on his knees and then on the floor, dead.

Murtagh got the keys from the soldier's hand and unlocked the door. The door made a squeeking sound, and then Murtagh got inside the cell.

The cell was dark, the only light coming from the light of the moon, through the window's bars. Nasuada was tied by manacles on both her hands and legs, hanging limply from the wall. Her dark skin was covered with blood and half healed injuries, while her dark hair was shining, covered in sweat. Her eyes were shiny with tears and her head was hanging limply.

At the sound of the door Nasuada looked up, flinching. Then recognition appeared in her face.

"Murtagh?" she said weakly.

"Hush Nasuada. It's me." Murtagh said, a great anger filling him at the sight of Nasuada's injuries and blood.

"Is it really you?" Nasuada asked still unwilling to trust her eyes. Her eyes filled with tears again, but this time they were tears of joy.

"I'm here now. You don't need to worry." Murtagh said.

"Stand still" he continued as with a powerful swing of his sword he cut the chain that was holding Nasuada. She fell, but before sxhe could reach the floor, Murtagh caught her.

"You came to rescue me!. I knew you would!. I knew it.!" Nasuada said weakly.

"Of course I did. I would never abandon you!. You should know that Nasuada... I love you." Murtagh said his heart beating faster every second. He looked at her beautiful face, and was lost in those deep dark eyes as he kissed her.

A sound of soldiers running from the hall came and shouts as guards drew their swords. Twenty or more soldiers were running through the hall. Murtagh did the only thing he could think of. With a single spell, he unlocked the doors of every door in the hallway. Prisoners ran out of their cells, while others shouted. Guards fell on the prisoners, cutting down some, while others ran to escape, but they had done their job. The soldiers speed had been reduced.

Nasuada collapsed on the floor when she tried to walk. She was too weak to walk or to run. He had to carry her, and that would not let him fight.

_"Thorn! Change of plans. Come flying right now!"_ Murtagh shouted through his mental link and he felt Thorn jumping into action.

_"What have you got yourself into this time?"_ Thorn demanded but he still obeyed Murtagh.

"Do you trust me?" he asked Nasuada.

"Of course I trust you. I love you Murtagh." Nasuada said. "I love you with all my heart." she repeated.

Murtagh felt his legs almost give way at the sound of that phrase. He had waited for so long to hear it from her that he did not know how to react. A large grin came over his face.

"But I do not like the look of that grin." Nasuada said.

"Good." Murtagh said as with a spell he made a large hole in the wall of the cell. Rocks flew everywhere, wooden poles flew towards them but Murtagh shielded both of them with wards. Dust filled the cell, and they both coughed.

"What are we gonna do?" Nasuada asked. "I hope you're not thinking what I'm thinking." Nasuada said.

"Trust me. This is the only way out." Murtagh said. With a loud shout, he grabbed Nasuada and jumped off the wall, towards the ground. A loud scream could be heard from Nasuada as she shouted, and Murtagh could feel the air rushing on his face, as he felt wightless. The ground came faster and faster.

"Thorn!"

"Right here!" Thorn said as both Murtagh and Nasuada landed on Thorn, a few meters before falling on a tree.

"What took you so long?" , Murtagh asked.

"A few archers started shooting arrows at me." Thorn said.

"Well, glad you are here." Murtagh said patting him on the neck as Thorn hummed.

They flew as fast as possible outside of the city. Shouts came behind them, and arrows flew in the night sky, but none got near them, as Thorn maintained his fast speed. Alarm horns blew, but there was nothing the soldiers below could do to stop them.

On his front, Nasuada was sitting on Thorn, her body limp, as she had lost consciousness. Murtagh healed her of her injuries, on the body, but he knew that he could not heal her from the injuries she had suffered on the inside.

He could only watch at the woman he loved, as she lied on him, enjoying the contact of her back, pressing on him and watching her beautiful face, as he felt her hair tickling his arms, as he held her as gently as he could, as if afraid she would break.

"Let us fly to safety. " Murtagh said.

"Where to?" Thorn asked.

"Ellesmera." Murtagh replied. There was only one place safe for Nasuada and that was with the elves of Du Weldenvarden.

With a burst of speed, Thorn flew away from the city of Dras Leona, away from the smoke rising from the burning prison building and the shouts of men, towards safety.


	36. Chapter 36: Edur Ithindra

A cold wind howled from the gray cloudy sky, trying to freeze everything in it's path. Four dragons, Saphira, Firnen, Gadaroth and Arget were flying towards Dras Leona. The riders on their backs wore thick winter clothes, their faces covered with cloaks to protect them from the cold, as they rode with thoughtful expressions. The mission had been a success, as Arget and Alaina had been saved from the clutches of Tenga, but the shade was still alive somewhere, planning his revenge and that worried them.

Salador and Alaina were looking at the reflections of the dragons as they flew above Leona Lake, the largest lake in Alagaesia, and a place of trade and great wealth. The waters of the lake were moving from the air and in parts, a small layer of thin ice had started to form on the water. When the heart of winter came, the waters would freeze completely and the horses would have no problems crossing the large lake on foot. The small trading boats would stop making the trip, but they would be replaced by trade carts, filled to the brim with goods and merchandise.

In the distance, the city of Dras Leona could be seen, a large column of smoke rising from the city. Perhaps the city had suffered a fire, for Eragon doubted that Roran and his army had had the time to besiege the city yet. It was only a matter of days before this happened, but he hoped with all his heart that they still had a few days. He needed to investigate the tower of Tenga before anything else. If there was one thing important in war, it was to know the enemy you are fighting, so that you do not get surprised, but until now, Tenga was a complete mystery to him. He hoped he could get answers by investigating the tower where he had met Tenga almost ten years ago.

At his back, Angela yawned loudly and Solembum scratched him, as he stretched his legs, his long black nails carving paths. Eragon grimaced. He would really need to create wards around him for werecats nails and teeth, especially if Angela and Solembum were going to travel with him.

On his left, Arya was flying on Firnen, a smile on her beautiful face. She seemed happier these past few days than he had ever remembered her. Her happiness filled Eragon with a warmth, happy for her and for her love for the other side, Salador was flying on Gadaroth, talking to Alaina and Arget, who were playing a game of trying to guess who the other person was thinking through asking questions. Eragon had participated in the game for a long time, keeping himself amused. His attention was soon turned to the landscape ahead of them.

The small hill was surrounded by a cliff. The tower of Edur Ithindra had been an impressive Elven outpost, so many years ago, its walls white and gleaming in the sunlight. The great tower had been two hundred meters tall, its walls were thick, and masterfully made sculptures of men and beasts, Gollums and Gargoyles and other mythical beasts had surrounded the tower's orange roof. Trees had surrounded the tower and an impressive garden filled with every species of flowers and tree in Alagaesia could be seen, like a labyrinth, protecting the tower from attacks. The tower was only accesible from the southern part, a narrow path that had space for three men abreast leading to it.

Now the tower was destroyed, its tall white columns broken. Large pieces of rock blocked the narrow path leading to the destroyed tower and could be seen everywhere, as if a large explosion had thrown the rubble away for miles. Burned trees were on the western part of the tower, while on the east, no sign of life remained. The statues had been broken in several pieces, and none could tell what they were supposed to depict. A large pile of rubble, and broken walls, beyond repair marked the place where the large and impressive tower had stood. Only some half destroyed stairs showed that there had once been more than one level for the building.

Saphira landed on the burned clearing near the rubble, followed by the other dragons. Their scales shined in the morning light, filling the area with different colors of blue, green, silver and yellow. Eragon dismounted, and walked towards the tower carefully, wary of potential magical traps the shade might have put around the tower. The other riders followed behind him, searching the area with their minds, aware of the lives of birds and insects near the tower.

_"A destroyed tower...There goes our plans" _Saphira stated.

"We must search the tower. There might be clues to tell us what spell Tenga used" Eragon said loudly.

_"I will help you search the rubble"_ Saphira said with a sigh.

Her massive claws removed giant rocks, dust filling the air around them. Following her example, the other dragons also started to dig through the ruins.

For the first few meters, nothing important was found. Big rocks and heavy wooden poles were removed, with the help of the dragons. Broken marble and small pieces of glass from windows and broken vases could be seen among the dirt and mud that had covered the once brilliant white rocks.

"You know, this tower was the model for the large keep guarding Du Skulblaka Ramr." Eragon said to his students.

Arya looked at the broken rocks with distaste, an angry expression on her face. The tower had been an elven marvel of architecture before it was destroyed. Salador looked around, uncertain of what to say in response, while Alaina had a sad expression on her face.

"I would like to visit the Dragon Home someday." Angela stated, a small smile on her face. At her feet, Solembum meowed, rubbing himself on her legs.

A set of different and interesting objects including some gold candle holders, some large paintings and other mysterious objects. A large table was unearthed, its legs broken and the surface filled with scratches and bumps, from the rocks that had fallen on it. The table was burnt in the corners. Near the table, a battered bookcase was found, some books still on the shelves, as it had overturned. Books lied in the mud, others open, some half burned, some destroyed beyond repair.

Salador picked one up. The book had been burned, but the title was still visible.

"The phases of the moon and other beliefs by Silvia Zeroviz" Salador said with a questioning voice.

_"Why would a topic like that interest Tenga?"_ Gadaroth asked.

Eragon could only lift his shoulders in response. Half of the things the odd hermit had done, seemed weird even when he had first visited him.

"This is in better condition. The Five Elements of Magic and how they can be used in spells" Alaina said. The book was full of dust from the tower, but its pages were still readable, if handled carefully so that they did not rip themselves.

"What about this?" Alaina said. A large scroll, written in papyr, an expensive form of paper, had been preserved from the fire. Words in the ancient Language filled the paper, and explanations of each word and what it did.

"But of course! How could I have been so forgetful?" Eragon said a large grin covering his face.

"What is it?" Salador asked. Angela and Arya already had a knowing expression in their faces, as well as wonder at the discovery.

"That is a compendium. They are very rare and valuable scrolls of various topics written in the Ancient Language. They often contain words in the ancient language that few or no people know, therefore making them extremely valuable!" Eragon explained.

Salador's mouth opened in surprise, before he closed it. Alaina smiled, an expression of hope on her face.

"When I last visited Tenga, he had seven compendiums. We must search for them!" Eragon stated.

"Seven!" Arya said in wonder, while the others looked on in amazement.

"Ellesmera had twelve." Arya stated, as if that was explanation enough for her outburst.

Everyone searched the rubble for the small scrolls of papyr, trying to find them.

In another corner, Angela was also searching the ruins. Every now and then, she would fill her pocket with something. Eragon looked at her for a little while, until he finally saw what it was. She was collecting wooden figures of small animals. He remembered the wooden figures, that Tenga had commented on.

Eragon picked one up from the ground, a figure of a small lion, and he gave it to Angela.

"Here you go." he said.

"Thank you Eragon..." Angela said. "I'm not a little kid anymore though...I mean..."she tried to say, making it into a joke, but then a thoughtful expression came on her face.

"I'm sorry. It's just...well I guess you will figure it out anyway. Tenga was my father." Angela said. "These toys, is all I remember from him, from my childhood with him..." she said a sad tone in her voice.

A bewildered expression covered Eragon's face. Tenga was Angela's father? Then her words sank in and a sad feeling filled him.

"I am sorry to hear that." Eragon said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I wish it was otherwise." Eragon said.

"Yes, I know. Thank you." Angela said.

"I'll help you find all of them." Eragon said, meaning the wooden toys, his eye catching a small wooden horse, beneath a pile of rocks.

"He was my teacher in magic too. He was a great magician...But then I had to leave. I had to. He was so strict, and he almost never had time for me, so engaged in his experiments. One night he shouted at me, we had an argument and in the end he slapped me hard. I decided to leave that night. He had done it before, many times but that was the end, the last straw..." Angela said.

"These toys remind me of his kinder side. The side which was my father, not his other side..." her voice broke.

"I hadn't seen him since then. And now he is...dead. Not really dead, but dead for me."Angela said, tears running from her eyes, her voice becoming softer and softer until Eragon could barely listen to her.

Eragon hugged her, as she cried, until her shoulders were still, and she stopped.

"Ebrithil... we have found all the compendiums you mentioned. One was half burned, but the rest are in good condition." Salador said with a loud voice.

"Thank you Salador. You have done well, all of you.!" Eragon replied loudly as the students bowed. Solembum was looking at him and Angela, his eyes blue, his black fur shining.

"Let us study these compendiums.!" Erargon said, eager to know what was written in them

_"Be careful not to tear them"_ Saphira said watching his trembling hands, a cloud of white smoke showing her amusement.

With a quick motion, he opened one. In it, were many useful spells, and explanations of what they would do, including the one that Eragon had used to travel the Eldunaria before the battle against Galbatorix. There was nothing that Eragon did not know. With a sigh, he opened the second.

A page full of written notes greeted him. At the beginning Tenga had used large letters, but after a while, it was as if he realized the space would not be enough, his writing becoming smaller and smaller until it was barely readable. It was notes on the failed experiment that had caused the explosion in the tower.

"I do not understand. He seemed to be trying to find a way to bring people back from the dead? But why? I mean...that would be...but then it could also provide chaos and..." Eragon said whispering.

_"He was mad, what else could explain his behavior?"_ Saphira asked.

"Ah, this." Angela said, with a smile. "My favorite spell."

"Time freezing? But How? I don't understand." Eragon said, remembering a scene from the past, in Dras Leona, when Angela had killed twenty soldiers before he could blink his eyes, all stabbed in a mere second.

" You must understand time, understand motion, understand it, then control it. Be what you understand, what you are trying to control. How did Arya turn the ball of water into silver? The two seem completely different. But once you understand water and silver, all its fine little properties, what it is made of, what it needs to become solid, what makes silver shine, and water shine, you can form a connection in the two. A word isn't necessary, it's the thought behind the word that matters. Master spellcasters can perform magic without any spoken word or visible gesture. It doesn't matter whether or not there is an obvious connection between the thought and the object being affected, as long as the connection is solid within the caster's mind." Angela said trying to explain.

"So, if I wanted to make this work with time, how would it work? How would I know where to begin. Time is formless, it does not have a beginning nor an end, it is a part of life, a part of death, a part of everything around us. Each thought we make takes time, each second passes quicker than the eye can blink. To freeze time, you must think of something that does not exist, a state of time where nothing moves, nothing lives, everything stays the same forever, people do not age, plants do not grow, or fall, nothing reproduces. But also, you would need yourself to move, in that formless state of time, otherwise how would you be able to be aware that time is frozen that nothing moves around you?"

Angela smiled. "I think you are beginning to get wise. Perhaps you have made a connection there, perhaps not. Each magician makes a different connection, for each magician is different, everyone understands the world from their own perspective and through their own experiences. That is why each magician leaves a different aura after a spell is done, why some magicians have different colored spells." Angela said.

"But then this does not help us at all." Eragon said, pointing at the compendium.

"Nobody said it was easy. If it was, everyone would abuse it, use it for their own purposes, for their own greed. Then the world would be unbalanced. Imagine a world where everyone could freeze time, a passerby, freezing time to steal all the merchandise from an honest working merchant. Why can you not bring people back from the dead? Because, it requires an unlimited amount of energy. The world needs a balance in everything, a good and bad, light and darkness, greed and generosity, life and death." Angela stated.

"Can you imagine a world, where no one died? But humans continued to reproduce, until finally, the whole world was covered with humans and we had no space to walk."

"That would be a site. But what about a world without evil, or a world without hunger! Why do we need these?" Eragon said and Angela laughed.

"I have no idea." Angela stated and laughed harder. "For a wise one, I am surprisingly ignorant on that topic!."

Minutes of silence followed, as Eragon contemplated Angela's words.

"I think I understand...So you have mastered this spell, and that is why you can remain young, as if you are an elf? You have frozen time, not on the world, but only on a small scale, on yourself, stopping you from aging" Eragon asked thinking about Angela's agelessness.

"Perhaps you are right...Perhaps not. You might have a future in front of you!" Angela stated with an air of mystery, but with a touch of respect on her voice, until she finished with the joke.

"Let me have a little mystery, Eragon!. Nobody likes a boring herbalist with no secrets!." Angela said with a smile.

Salador and Alaina were looking at both of them, as if they had lost their minds. An amused smile was on Arya's lips as her face was red, with the effort of not laughing.

_"I for one would not have a problem with that." _Firnen stated growling, making Eragon and Arya and the other riders laugh.

"Perhaps I'll reveal my mysteries some other day." Angela said as she turned around and walked towards Solembum.

Eragon smiled. He liked discussing with the herbalist, even if most of the times their discussions led to more questions than answers.

"That was interesting to watch and hear." Arya said with a smile, as Eragon smiled back. He felt his heart beating faster at the sight of her, and he felt himself get lost in her beautiful green eyes. He had to do something, or he would kiss her in front of the whole group. Saphira and Firnen hummed together, furthering Eragon's embarrassment.

He opened the last compendium and his mouth dropped. In there, were the seven words Brom had told him. The seven words that he had told him to use only in the most dire of situations. One by one, the words were explained, but the compendium was half destroyed. Some writing had been lost forever, while the final part that explained what the spell did was also lost.

"What is it Eragon?" Arya asked, realizing something was wrong.

Eragon explained about the seven words, the words Brom had told him before he died.

"I think I recognize one or two of those words..." Angela said. "I think they are words the Grey Folk used. A shocked expression appeared on Eragon's face.

_"The Grey Folk? But how? They disappeared so many years ago!"_ Saphira exclaimed.

"But what does the spell do?" Eragon said.

"Again, I don't know." Angela said.

Eragon sighed. He wished there was a way for his questions to be answered. He needed to know but fate had a way to present him with more questions, every time he was about to answer one. The endeavor had been a successful one, despite the tower being destroyed. The seven compendiums would help Eragon teach the riders more spells, and it would help him master the time spell, that Angela had used so many years ago in Dras Leona.

Night fell, and stars filled the sky. The dragons all went to sleep along with the riders, but Eragon had his mind on one thing only. The seven words Brom had told him were still ringing in his mind, Brom's last phrase too, as he fell alseep on Saphira's belly.


	37. Chapter 37: Meeting an Ally

The clouds in the sky were dark gray, the sounds of continuous thunders threatening the city of Dras Leona with heavy rainfall. People walked the muddy streets quickly, not willing to get wet from the cold raindrops that fell from the sky. Merchants were shouting for their goods without success as everyone was running away for cover, covered in mud or were too busy preparing for the upcoming siege of the city. Only food merchants had customers, as everyone ran to buy as much food as they could to store. Everyone knew that food was an important part of a siege, and hunger would become a widespread problem in a few days. Prices were up, for that reason and people and merchants were shouting at each other, barely able to control themselves and not start a riot in the city. Nobody knew how long the siege would be and none wanted to risk the hunger. People were nailing wooden poles on the doors and windows of houses, barricading themselves in their houses, while others were watching from the higher windows on the activity below, their faces miserable and grim.

Surdan soldiers were patrolling the streets and running towards the walls of the city, giving wary looks at the people of the city. The city was theirs but there could still be an uprising or revolt against King Orrin if they were not careful, as not enough time had passed since they had taken the city. People were shouting at one another, but all kept out of the way of Surdan soldiers, afraid that they would harm them, with the slightest cause.

The former Governor's building, where Orrin had made his quarters was magnificently built, with rich decorations and sculptures occupying the majority of the building. Rich paintings and other gold decorations were inside the building. The Hall where Orrin had put his throne, or the King's Hall, as it was widely known after the fall of the city, was dark, the only light coming from a few candles, and the occasional lightning. Small drops of rain fell from an imperfection on the building of the wall, forming a small puddle in a corner of the room. A large wall painting of a great victory the humans had won over the Urgals countless centuries ago in a forgotten battle, covered one side of the wall.

A servant with black clothes and the sigil of orrin's house bowed in front of the king, his face almost reaching the floor.

"Your Highness, the Shade has arrived." the man informed Orrin, with a loud voice, and waited patiently for Orrin to acknowledge he had heard him.

"Send him in" Orrin ordered, distracted, in his own thoughts. "Bring more wine!" Orrin said as an afterthought.

Tenga entered the throne room with a confident proud walk, his red hair covering his black clothes and his beard waving as he walked towards Orrin. Six Guards surrounded the king, and three more were behind Orrin, pointing at him with spears as he approached, but Tenga paid them no mind. It was as if they did not exist to him.

Orrin looked at the shade with a sour expression, as he drank from his wine, filling his glass every once in a while as he gulped down huge quantities of wine in a matter of minutes. His eyes were red from the lack of sleep and he scowled as the shade did not show the proper respect by bowing at him. The guards around him, shifted uneasily as if unsure wether they should make the shade bow, even wondering if they could. Finally they decided against it, but glared at the shade, with disapproving glances.

"You have called for me, and I have come" Tenga said, with a loud voice, ignoring formalities, angering the guards even more. Orrin too, took notice and his eyebrows shade's eyes looked deep within the soul of Orrin, searching for a sign of weakness, searching for anything he could use. Orin inspected the shade too, with curiosity, his eyes looking at the lifeless white skin, at his red hair and his beard, at the black clothes with a thoughtful expression as if trying to solve a very hard puzzle, not knowing what to make of the shade.

Orrin had sent a messenger to the shade and the man had been so scared when he came back it took him a whole day to utter a word.

"Welcome, please, make yourself comfortable." Orrin said, as he sent a guard to grab a chair. A few seconds passed until the guard returned and the shade took a seat, noticing the height disadvantage. Tenga smiled a mysterious smile, as Orrin drummed his fingers on the throne. It was as if they were playing a chess game.

"I understand you have a problem and you need my help to solve it." Tenga said.

"Indeed." Orrin said but before he could say more, the shade interrupted him.

"You must be very desperate to ask me for help." Tenga said with a smile.

Orrin looked at the shade and a sense of anger filled him, but he controlled himself and forced himself to smile.

"Sometimes, you have to do what is not expected by your enemies." Orrin replied.

The shade nodded. "The Dragons and elves are posing a problem to my soldiers, with their supernatural strength and their magic. They are too powerful." Orrin stated.

Tenga laughed, a deep croaky sound.

"Powerful? You have no idea what is power. Power beyond your dreams. Power to defeat a city. Power enough to challenge the Creator." Tenga said, still laughing.

"Will you help us?" Orrin said, ignoring the insult. There really was no option for the shade. He could unleash his whole army against him. For all his pride, the shade had fallen in his trap neatly. Whether he had defeated a whole city, he could never defeat the whole Surdan army.

"Why would I do such a thing?" Tenga asked.

A great anger filled Orrin, blood rushed in his head, and he felt tremors in his body as he raged. Slowly, he breathed deeply, recovering.

"Because I have heard of your hatred for the dragons and the riders. You can never defeat them alone!. For that you need a large army. As long as you help me become Emperor and defeat my enemies, I shall give you the soldiers you need." Orrin replied.

The smile disappeared from Tenga and a scowl appeared on his face.

"And who shall lead this army of yours?" Tenga asked.

Orrin looked at him as if he was a fool. "Me of course."

"You expect me to take orders from you?" the shade asked, a dangerous light in his eyes.

Orrin glared at the shade. A simple order would do to kill him. He needed the shade alive.

The shade laughed loudly.

"How many soldiers will you give me? I want ten thousand of your best soldiers." Tenga stated.

Orrin barely controlled himself from jumping.

"Are you mad?" Orrin asked.

"Do you want to get rid of the elves and dragons or no?" Tenga asked as Orrin remained silent with a thoughtful expression.

"Ten thousand is a lot of soldiers. I do not trust you that much yet. First you must prove yourself." Orrin stated.

"I will give you four thousand soldiers. You must kill the riders and elves or at least cause havoc to them." Orrin said.

"Five thousand." Tenga said. "Or we do not have a deal." he continued.

"Very well." Orrin stated after a bit of thought.

A smile appeared on the shades face.

"Do not disappoint me shade. You will not like my wrath." Orrin said.

A sneer appeared on Tenga's face. Orrin did not realize he could kill the guards in seconds and snap his pretty neck off, Tenga thought.

"What will you do to these soldiers?" Orrin asked.

"You shall see in the battle." Tenga stated.

"With your permission." Tenga continued and left the throne room without waiting for a reply, the sound of a glass bottle breaking on a wall behind him.

.Tenga walked towards a man in command and ordered him to bring the five thousand soldiers.

Soon, neat ranks of Surdan men were in front of him, looking at him with distrust, enough to fill the centre of the city. The shade had found a sacrificial sheep and an assortment of plants, as well as small glasses of various liquids. The soldiers did not want to know what they contained.

"Very well, let us begin." the shade said.

The soldiers looked on with anticipation, and mistrust. Nobody dared defy Orrin's orders, yet nobody wanted to be part of a Shade's crazy experiment.

Some soldier played drums in a corner, creating a rhythm that made the blood in the soldiers bodies flow faster, as if they were in a battle. Tenga's voice boomed as he started saying an assortment of words, in the Ancient language as well as another language, the soldiers had not heard before.

Darkness enveloped the center of the city, above the soldiers, clouds moved and small tendrils of shadow appeared in the air.

"What is he doing?" a soldier asked

"I did not sign up for this!" another man said, trying to draw his blade, but finding himself unable to do so. It was as if they were all paralyzed, unable to move a single muscle. They could only watch as the darkness grew around them. Soldiers screamed, as if dying in a sea of pain.

Finally, the shade finished his incantation, and plunged the dagger in the sheep's heart, after dipping it in an assortment of the liquids. The sheep squeeled, and died. Right after, the shade plunged the dagger in one of the soldiers in the front line, a loud scream filling the air, and the soldiers heads. A wave of pain filled the soldiers as if they too felt the dagger stabbing them, blood ran from their mouths and nose and then there was only darkness.

The soldiers regained consciousness. Nothing felt different for them, only a weird sensation remained from the spell.

"What have you done to us?" a soldier asked. Angry he grabbed a sword and attacked Tenga.

Tenga blocked the blow, but the soldier had moved with superhuman speed. Surprised the soldier looked at his sword, as if it was a poisonous viper and he was afraid it would bite him.

"What have you done to us!" the soldier asked again.

"Isn't it obvious? I have given you superhuman speed. You are as quick as elves now. And you are impervious to magic. Magic cannot hurt you, anymore than a fly can hurt a bear." the shade stated, a loud laugh filling the air.

"You mean we have wards against magic?" the mans asked.

"Do you question my abilities?" Tenga asked a dangerous light in his eyes.

"Magic will not hurt you, and that does not take any of your energy for the spell to work, as wards do. That is all you need to know." Tenga stated.

The soldiers around him looked stunned.

Again the shade laughed as hew looked at their expressions. The dragons would find a nasty surprise when they attacked the city. A great hatred filled him for the dragons and riders. He imagined in his mind the city burning, as the dragons lied dead and the riders too. That was his goal and he would not stop until it was achieved.


	38. Chapter 38: Siege

The sky was dark, as the dragons flew towards the city of Dras Leona, which was soon to be besieged by the forces of the Empire. They flew quickly above tall trees, scaring the wild animals of the forests, for they wanted to be in the city on time for the battle.

The four dragons were flying in a rhombus formation, with Saphira at the front, and Arget and Firnen at the two corners while Gadaroth was flying behind Saphira. It was a formation they had learned in one of their many lessons, useful for both attacks and defense. The dragons scales shone in the sky, sending their colors to the trees below, like mirrors, and massive sounds were produced as they moved their huge wings.

The riders rode atop their dragons, dressed in warm clothes, heavy robes which had the color of their dragons, covering them, giving them warmth. Salador looked at Alaina's hair as they moved from the wind, and once more admired her beauty, as he looked at her beautiful eyes and at her perfectly formed lips and nose. If he was going to decide what part of her he liked more, he knew he would never be able to decide. He looked at her and smiled, thinking to himself that there was no sight more beautiful in the world. As Alaina realized that he was looking at her, their eyes met and for a few seconds they looked at each other before Alaina smiled too and Salador looked the other way, would have to keep a reign on these thoughts, he decided.

The Leona Lake was underneath them, its calm waters disturbed by the drops of rain falling from the sky. A distant forest full with naked trees as their leaves had fallen on the ground was on both sides of the lake, signalling the coming of winter and the imminent arrival of snow and ice. On the horizon, the city of Dras Leona, the second largest city in the Empire, could be seen. Massive tall towers and great brick walls surrounded the city, providing it with great and hard to breach defenses. Some of the houses were also visible, like small miniature buildings, with their red roofs, and the most prominent of all was the Governor's palace, its white brick walls shining even from this far off from the city.

Seeing the city in front of him, made Salador think of the coming battle. He had survived his first battle against the shade. Most of all, he remembered the sense of being alive, the sense of being threatened, not knowing where the next hit would land, where to block. He only knew he had to kill to survive, to live another day to see his dragon Gadaroth and the love of his life Alaina, the two people he cared for most in the world. He hoped the war would end soon and he would be able to live in peace again.

"A great sight" Alaina said and Salador agreed reluctantly.

He had no idea how to start the conversation, but he wanted to talk to Alaina very much.

"I am glad you and Arget are well. I was worried about you." Salador said and Gadaroth snorted. Worried did not even begin to describe what he had felt. His heart beat faster just at the thought of what had happened.

A sad expression came on Alaina's face, but then she smiled, her cheeks becoming bright. For an elf, she really did not hide her emotions well, but perhaps that was because she was young and it was something Salador liked about her. He hoped the bright cheeks meant she liked him. They had shared a kiss after all, but that had been right after Alaina and Arget had been freed from the clutches of Tenga. Perhaps she loved him, or perhaps it was just the tension of the moment?

_"You are over thinking about this way too much., giving me a headache"_ Gadaroth said and Salador grimaced. Having someone able to read your thoughts and feel your every emotion had its down sides too. Sometimes all he needed was a little privacy.

Gadaroth laughed. _"You should close access to your thoughts next time."_

"...Salador did you hear me?" Alaina asked.

"Sorry, Gadaroth is in one of his chatting moods today." Salador apologized, lifting his shoulders.

_"Perhaps I am in the mood for other things too."_ Gadaroth said to both of them as he turned upside down and flew with Salador towards the ground.

_"I'm sorry!."_ Salador shouted and Gadaroth returned to his normal flying position. "So Alaina Could you repeat what you said?" he asked as Alaina looked at them.

" I wanted to thank you. I am very glad you came and rescued us. I did not know how long I would have survived as that...Being's prisoner." Alaina said.

"You know I would do it again if I had to. I will never let you again in the hands of enemies." Salador replied.

"That means a lot, Salador." Alaina replied looking at his eyes.

_"You know he still blames himself for what he did?" _Gadaroth asked, and Alaina and Arget turned surprised.

_"You had no other choice but to run"_ Arget said.

"I understand. I lost consciousness during the battle." Alaina said.

"I should have attacked." Salador insisted.

_"And die in the process?"_ Gadaroth asked._ "I admire your bravery, partner of my mind, but that would be foolish." ._

"Perhaps you are right Gadaroth. But I still will never forgive myself." Salador replied.

_"Hopeless!. He is hopeless!. But I love him for that."_ Gadaroth said shaking his head laughing.

Alaina laughed too, a beautiful sound to Salador's ears.

"Me too." she said after a few seconds.

Salador turned at her surprised but at that moment, Arget made a burst of speed, to save her rider from embarrassment. She was a shy dragon, she did not talk much, but she always listened and had a great sense of humor.

_"Did you hear what Alaina said?"_ Salador asked, a wide smile appearing on his face. _"She loves me!"_ Salador said

_"I have a feeling my headache is about to get worse."_ Gadaroth said with a moan.

Eragon looked at the dragons and riders around him, as a father looking at his grown sons and daughters, proud of their achievements, of what they had accomplished and of what they were. For years he had trained the dragons and riders, with the help of Saphira and the elves who had come with him, until they had finally become riders in full. His gaze fell on Alaina, talking to Arget, silently. Eragon admired Arget's silver scales once more. Salador had a happy expresison on his face for some unknown reason. Eragon was glad Salador was feeling better. He had feared the whole story with Alaina and Arget would affect him in negative ways, but he saw that he was well. He only hoped his thirst for revenge on Tenga would not cloud Salador's judgement. He would have to talk to him sometime to make sure of that.

His gaze then fell on Firnen and the woman of his dreams, Arya. She had a graceful stance, her beautiful green eyes looking at the city of Dras Leona and the approaching encampment of the Empire around the city. Her raven black hair flew backwards as the wind passed through them. As always his heart beat faster as he saw her, and he felt the usual nervousness.

"What?" Arya asked as she realized Eragon was staring at her.

"You look stunning." Eragon said, smiling.

"Thank you Eragon." Arya said smiling back. As usual, his heart beat faster as he looked at her beautiful face and at her smile. If only there was a way to see that forever.

"Have you finished studying the scrolls?" Arya asked.

"For now." Eragon said. It would take time to finish studying and put everything to practice.

"I'd like to spend some time with you before the battle, perhaps for a drink."

"That would be a pleasure Eragon. Perhaps if we have enough time." Arya answered.

"Are you afraid to lose?" Eragon asked, a wolfish grin on his face.

"Me? When was the last time I lost? I always win!" Arya said with a laugh and Eragon joined her.

He wanted to spend as much time as possible with her, and talk to her and make her smile and happy, but unfortunately there were also other things that required his attention.

As they approached the city, Eragon's gaze fell on the great camp around the city. It seemed Roran had arrived at Dras Leona and had already besieged the city of Dras Leona, but the battles had not started yet. The two opponents looked at each other wearily, judging their strengths and weaknesses, deciding where to hit next.

A sea of tents surrounded the city, where the besiegers had made their encampment, and great sharp wooden poles had been lifted to prevent any attack on the camp, while soldiers were patrolling. Soldiers ran in the camp, others doing different chores, while others made their way towards the food tents for a meal. The smell of cooking meat was good in Eragon's nose as Saphira landed near the edge of the camp, along with the other dragons. He was hungry after the journey, he thought, and his stomach agreed with a loud noise.

"I'm so hungry I could eat a whole cow!." Eragon said and Saphira snorted, amused.

_"I'd like to see that."_ Saphira stated.

For the whole journey he had studied the scrolls they had found in Edur Ithindra, Tenga's tower and he had practiced with spells. Of course he could not use all of them, while flying as it would be dangerous to do so, while for some he still did not know exactly what the spells achieved or how to achieve them. Still, the whole process had been hard and had left him with a lack of energy and a great hunger. He usually did not like to eat meat, as he had been inside the minds of many animals, but right now he was ready to eat anything that was served in front of him.

The camp in front of him was bursting with life, soldiers shouting, talking loudly, pointing towards him and the dragons, banging their shields and cheering. Great groans of desperation came from the defenders of the city, as they realized the dragons had arrived to fight against them.

The great gates of the city were closed, and grim faced soldiers looked towards the Empire camp. Some abandoned carts had been left outside, and the people who lived outside the walls of the city had also abandoned their homes.

Roran appeared from within the mass of soldiers, as they made way for their commander to pass through. Roran wore a bright silver armor, and on his richly decorated belt, rested his hammer. He wore no helm, but a cape was hanging from his shoulders.

"Greetings Eragon, Arya, Salador and Alaina. You are most welcome within this camp!" Roran greeted them and Eragon grabbed and hugged Roran.

"Brother, it is good to see you!" he said with a loud voice. Arya looked at Roran and nodded, as Salador and Alaina bowed and curtsied.

"Come, follow me, so we can talk privately. With a turning motion he started to lead the way, as the riders followed him. The dragons stayed at the edge of the camp, lying on the ground, resting from their flight. However, their minds remained connected to the minds of their riders, able to hear what they heard and see what they saw.

"We have waited for you. We must make plans for the upcoming battle." Roran continued, once they reached the central command tent. It was a large red tent, larger than all the others in the area.

"Of course." Eragon replied, as they entered the tent, the guards surrounding the tent, letting them in. Once everyone was inside, Eragon put a spell against eavesdropping around the tent. He would know if someone tried to eavesdrop in their conversation or alter the spell in any way.

For several minutes Roran explained his plan on attack, as the riders listened.

"We must pretend the main attack is from the left side of the city. For this purpose, we will move two battering rams and eight siege towers from that side of the city. Catapults will hurl rocks at the walls and we will march towards the walls as if intending to attack from there." Roran stated. "However, the real attack will be coming from the other side."

"Thrain and Gregorbak will go and open the gates of the city, with their dragons and the help of the elves. Salador and Alaina will attack the walls from the right side, along with the dwarves. Eragon, we have spies in the city who have confirmed that Tenga is inside the city. It is your job to find him and kill him." Roran said.

"A good plan." Eragon said and the others agreed.

"If that is all..I must go talk to my generals and inform them" Arya said, and slowly all the riders left the tent.

"Eragon! I would like a word." Roran said and Eragon remained in the tent. He wondered what was going on.

"What is going on Roran?" Eragon said.

Roran explained to him about the situation with his children. They had been kidnapped by Surdan men, in the city of Iliria by Malik.

"Katrina almost had my head on a silver platter when she learned. She shouted so loud, half the city of Iliria must have heard her." Roran said. A dark expression was on Eragon's face. He did not like when his family was threatened.

"A few days later, they came back to the camp of the Empire, full of blood and bruises. It seems they managed to escape Malik and his men" Roran said proud.

A sigh of relief escaped Eragon. "How?" he asked with amazement. In his mind he had already formed plans to help them escape, plans doomed to fail most probably.

"That is why I asked for your help. It seems...I mean Ismira...Ismira used magic to help them escape." Roran said finally. Eragon looked at him shocked. Ismira used magic?

"Are you sure?" Eragon said, a serious expression on his that was true, then there were many possibilities he needed to explore.

"Yes. Garrow confirms it, and he never lies. He's just like Salador in that respect." Roran said proud.

Eragon smiled. It was good to hear that.

"I will talk to her." Eragon said.

"Great. I will go bring her here."

A few moments passed as Roran sent one of his men to find Ismira. Ismira and Garrow entered the tent, their heads looking down. Normally, from what Eragon remembered, the two kids fought and created such a sound that even Saphira complained. However, now they held their hands together, as if giving strength to one another by holding hands.

"Uncle Eragon, Uncle Eragon!" Garrow shouted the moment he saw Eragon as he ran and hugged him.

"Garrow! My, you've grown!" Eragon said, lifting him and spinning him slowly. His gaze fell on Ismira.

"Ismira, it is good to see you well!" Eragon said.

Ismira didn't talk, she only looked at Eragon.

"I understand you used magic?" Eragon asked.

"Yes she did!" Garrow shouted. "It was awesome! It was the best thing I've ever seen! You should see the soldiers, they went poof! down from the sky, then that old guy Malik shouted and Ismira made another magic paf! and a ball of water shot from her and another soldier fell, then she lost consciousness and I had to carry her to safety. It was awesome!" Garrow said enthusiastically, with one breath.

"Is that so?" Eragon asked, surprised.

"Yes. What he says is true." Ismira said, her head down.

"And did you use any words, casting the spells?" Eragon said.

"I didn't...it just happened." Ismira replied. "I felt desperate and then..."

"I understand. You must not use that form of magic until I tell you to do so. From now on, I will be your teacher in magic. You'd like that?" Eragon asked.

"Really?" Ismira asked.

"Of course!" Eragon replied.

"I'd love that!" Ismira said and hugged Eragon.

_"Eragon, it is time to rest. It's a long day tomorrow!"_

"So, who is hungry? I'm starving! Let's go get something to eat and play a few game of cards eh? What do you say?"

"Garrow always cheats." Ismira said.

"I don't!" Garrow said loudly.

"Yes you do!" Ismira shouted. Eragon smiled, as they exited the tent and the two children came back to their everyday lives.


	39. Chapter 39: Clash of Swords

Gold light escaped from within the dark clouds as the morning light replaced the darkness of night. An eagle flew above the city of Dras Leona and the Empire encampment, flying in circles, until finally it too disappeared, towards Leona Lake. The bright lake water had already started to freeze with a thin layer of ice, and the cold was already forming a layer of frost on the roofs of the houses and on the tall towers of the city.

Roran looked at the neat rows of soldiers as they had formed in perfect formation, the archers in the front, and the swordsmen and spear men behind them. In front of the archers, large catapults and two massive battering rams, as well as four siege towers were positioned, ready to form the fake main attack towards the city of Dras Leona. The plan was good, but it needed perfect timing if it was going to work, and Roran knew that this was very hard to achieve in a battle. He was commander of the army now and there was no room for mistakes.

On the two flanks, the cavalry was positioned, so as to protect the men from encirclement and be able to quickly go for an attack on the enemy. Roran shivered from the cold air, and the small flakes of snow that had already started to fall from the sky. Even the best trained of the horses stamped their hooves powerfully on the ground, and neighed loudly, their heads moving around nervously. It was as if the horses could feel the upcoming violence and were preparing for it.

Soldiers cursed and shivered from the cold, or perhaps from anxiety for the upcoming battle, and the potential loss of their lives. Spears shook, and every man made his pre battle ritual, remembering their loved ones, what they were fighting for and forming strategies of how to survive, or praying to whatever God they believed in. Generals shouted and men obeyed. Roran knew he had to make a speech so he went in front of the army, looking at each and every one of their faces, remembering the soldiers names, knowing who followed him. He was their General and the soldiers were prepared to go to the Gates of the underworld itself with him if necessary.

"Men, we come here today to show the Surdans they cannot invade our country! They cannot destroy our cities and kill our loved ones unpunished! We fight to show them we are not afraid, to show that we will not accept Orrin as our King! I've had my share of power hungry kings. I'd rather kiss a shade than serve him! We fight to protect our loved ones from the Surdan invaders. Let's drive them back to where they came from. Give them steel! Give them a beating they won't forget in the ages to come! For Nasuada! For the empire! For Glory!" Roran shouted and men echoed his cry, shouting at the top of their lungs.

"Attack!" Roran shouted. In a few seconds, rocks were hurled from the catapults towards the city walls, crashing on them with loud sounds. For a few minutes, the sound of rocks crashing on walls was all anyone could hear. A few rocks hit men on the city walls, their screams heard for miles.

Men rushed forward, still in formation. It was very important to make the Surdans believe the main attack came from this side of the walls. Arrows rained around Roran and a few men died with arrows through their necks, or various parts of their bodies. Still, they carried on, towards the walls. The siege towers moved, towards the city walls, filled with men, as burning arrows from the city tried to stop them, in vain. In few spots, the towers caught fire, but they were quickly put out, before permanent damage could be done to them. Smoke filled the air, and dust and Roran could barely see. As they reached the walls of the city, Roran's archers fired a volley of arrows towards the walls, killing many of the defenders, before they too were shot from the walls. Bodies filled the ground and bursts of flame and other elements could be seen as magic was used in the battlefield.

Men shouted, and held their wounds, while others rushed past them. They finally reached the city walls. Men carrying the battering rams moved for the gates, while others tried to climb the walls with the help of wooden stairs. Pots of boiling oil were thrown from the walls and men died, a horrible way to go. The siege towers arrived too, opening their gates for the men inside to climb the walls. Then, the true battle for the walls started, as men from Surda and the Empire fought each other man to man. Arrows flew everywhere. Roran climbed the wall from one of the wooden stairs and was greeted by an ax that almost took his head off. With a jump and rolling on the ground, Roran avoided another blow from the gigantic man. Roran shouted and kicked the man on the leg, as he swung his hammer, hitting him on the arm with a loud cracking sound from the bone. The man looked at his wound and barely showed any emotion as he grabbed Roran from the arm and swung. Roran couldn't avoid the blow entirely but his wards saved him from the worst. With another two swings, on the man's head, the gigantic soldier fell on the floor finally.

"That man was huge!" Alarik shouted, as he swung his mace, spreading death to anyone fool enough to come close to him. Coming from Alarik, a man who reminded Roran of a huge tower, it was high praise. Over the course of the war, they had become friends.

"Coming from you that must mean something!" Roran said, as he blocked a blow from another soldier and killed him with his hammer. It had already started to become slippery from the blood.

"Yes it means there's one less man to compete with these babies!" Alarik said, showing his muscles, in a momentary pause from the battle. Just like Alarik, to show off in the middle of a battle, with no sense of danger. Two arrows shot towards him, and Roran pushed him on the ground, just on time.

"No need to get jealous. I was only telling the truth!" Alarik stated with a grunt as he swung his mace, flattening a soldier, and killing another that was running towards him. A small scratch was on his face, and another had appeared on his right arm.

"You're still the ugliest man I know." Roran said as he started forward to roll to avoid a blow from a sword. Alarik laughed.

"You've looked in a mirror?" Alarik asked but just then a sword passed through his leg. With a huge effort, Alarik swung the mace and the man was hit, falling from the wall.

"Tough guy to kill" Alarik said, wincing. Part of the wall was cleared while the soldiers still fought against the Surdans. Roran looked at the army of the Empire, fighting in groups. Three thousand men had stayed behind, where they had started, spread out, to seem as if the whole Empire army was there, waiting to attack, while they were just the first wave.

"General, Orders?" Alarik asked.

The left side of the city was active, as Empire soldiers fought against the Surdans. Under the cover of an invisibility spell, Gregorbak, the Urgal rider and Felangud his purple dragon, and Thrain, the dwarf rider and Sphinx, were flying towards the city. Underneath them, the whole Elven army was also waiting, taking advantage of the darkness that the black clouds in the sky provided to hide their shadows.

As always, before a battle, Gregorbak filled his mind with thoughts of honor and glory, two things that all the Urgals strove to find. There was much honor helping the other races of Alagaesia to defeat the Surdans. He only hoped he would survive the battle so songs could be sung of his bravery. He clutched his sword, which was bigger than the usual rider swords. "Blood Honor" he had named it, Blodh celöbra, a name that suited his character. He admired the purple edge of the sword and the steel as the light reflected from it. He was a Kull, and Felangud had been trained in Du Skulblaka Ramr to be able to carry his greater weight, resulting in a more muscular dragon, and a stronger one. For months, he had difficulty flying with Gregorbak on his back but they had finally managed to fly together, the greatest experience of Gregorbak's life.

"We must land with as little sound as possible." Gregorbak stated.

Felangud landed on the wall, as Gregorbak jumped from his back. A soldier came from the Gate, and was quickly killed by Gregorbak as he lifted his invisibility. A few seconds later Sphinx landed near Felangud, her orange scales bright. Soldiers came to fight them but the two dragons and riders made short work of them. Gregorbak avoided a blow from a sword with his shield and stabbed the man with his sword.

"Kill the men in the guardhouse." Thrain said, as he moved his sword, Svartr andlát, or "Black Death" with surprising speed for a dwarf. His shorter height gave him an advantage over the taller opponents because they had a harder time, attacking him, while their legs were open and vulnerable. With a swift move from his sword, he stabbed a man in the knee. The soldier fell, and Thrain killed him, with another sword stroke.

Gregorbak followed his advice, moving towards the small building. Three men were on the door, waiting for him.

"Die Urgal Scum!" a soldier shouted as he rushed towards him. With a move from his hand, he punched the man off the wall, as he fell to his death. The two other men attacked together, their sword attacking him from all sides. Gregorbak blocked most of the blows, while for the others he let his wards absorb the damage, even though he knew that he could not do so for a long time. With a move from his longer sword, he attacked and stabbed one of the men in the belly, white the other he stabbed in the neck. With a kick, and a loud noise, he opened the locked door and saw the mechanism for lifting the gate.

"Ready!" Gregorbak shouted.

A few seconds later, Thrain shouted back.

"Ready. Now!" they said as they both pushed the mechanism, that opened the gate to the city. The two dragons protected them from attacks either by burning the soldiers or by mighty swaps of their tails. Slowly, but surely, the Gate was lifted, opening the way for the Elven army to march in the city.

More Surdans came as word was spread that there was an attack and a breach in the city. Elves came rushing in, the moment the door opened enough, fighting through a crowd of soldiers, with their super human speed, in their bright white armors that reflected the light. Their pure steel swords were killing the soldiers faster than a man could blink, and one of the elves, older and wiser from the rest led them in battle, carrying a large banner on a wooden pole. Arrows flew from the perfect lines of elven soldiers, deadly accurate, killing hundreds of the Surdan men, while more rushed in the city. The Surdans struggled to defend the city, but their efforts looked in vain in front of the might of the elven army and the two dragons and riders.

Gregorbak admired their form while sword fighting, their perfect formations and wondered what would happen if they were introduced in the Urgal army. Unconsciously he whistled but was quickly put back to reality as an enchanted arrow hit him on the shoulder, near his heart.

Gregorbak was enraged as he attacked once again the soldiers.

"A job well done." Lord Dathedr, the elf that was leading the elven army said loudly to Gregorbak and Thrain.

"My Lord." Gregorbak said, and attacked once again.

A loud horn sounded from within the city and soldiers with black banners appeared from the streets. Besides the banners, there was nothing separating them from the rest of the Surdan soldiers. Drums beat as they walked, and they drew their swords, ready for an attack.

"Brace yourselves!" Lord Dathedr ordered, calmly as he too studied the new soldiers. In a matter of seconds, the elves finished the last remaining Surdan soldiers and reformed for the attack.

Spells were thrown towards the soldiers, lightning, fireballs, balls of ice and ice spikes. For a few seconds nothing could be seen then the elves attacked. Surprised, they saw the soldiers unaffected, as if a magic barrier was preventing their spells from harming them. They had no time to consider as the Surdan soldiers attacked them. With super human speed, they sawed through the ranks of the elves, as they were not expecting their speed. Elves fell, as more magic spells were hurled towards the Surdans, but they too were stopped.

Finally, with cries of rage, like a wounded ferocious beast they charged, recovered from the shock. The two dragons flattened the soldiers with their tails, and clawed at them, as the elves shook the earth to unstable them and erupted buildings. The soldiers seemed unaffected by direct magic damage, but the flying rocks from the buildings damaged and injured them. Smoke rose from the houses nearby, and fires were lit, as the two dragons breathed fire on the Surdan soldiers.

A large soldier came from within the ranks. His sword attacked Lord Dathedr, but was blocked by the elf's banner pole. With a quick move, the elf, attacked, slashing at the soldier, injuring him, but with another ferocious attack the pole broke in half. Lord Dathedr looked at the broken pole in surprise but recovered quickly. He used both pieces to attack the soldier as if he was using two swords. He was rewarded by a deep slash on the soldier's chest, that pierced the armor. Lord Dathdr grabbed a sword from the ground. The two opponents looked at each other warily, with hatred. Quicker than the eye could follow, they attacked each other, blocking and countering, in a circle, like a whirlwind of motion, taking everything in its path. Swords bounced on armor, blood flew and steel hit steel. The soldier's circular attack was blocked, but with another attack the soldier stabbed Lord Dathedr in the chest. The elf looked surprised, first at the sword, then at the soldier. With one final breath, he fell on the floor.

The elves looked stunned at their fallen leader. Enraged, a elf shouted and attacked the large soldier. With another whirlwind, they fought. The elf was fast, faster than Lord Dathedr, and young, with silver hair. He moved his sword masterfully, attacking and withdrawing. The soldier clearly had a hard time blocking the blows.

"You must know the name of the man who killed you. I am Vanir."

With a jump and a circular move, the elf's sword passed through the soldier's neck, beheading him, as he avoided the soldier's blow. The elf looked at the fallen soldier with hatred.

"Monster." he said with contempt, as he stabbed the body once more.

Meanwhile, Thrain and Gregorbak fought, struggling to regain the lost ground, avoiding blows from soldiers who should not be moving so fast. Gregorbak stabbed another Surdan and Felangud roasted two in their armors. Gregorbak looked at the many elves, lying dead.

"Forward!" Gregorbak shouted, as Thrain followed his example, rushing towards the Surdans.

With a roar, Gadaroth attacked at the Surdan soldiers, on the walls. Some scattered, running deeper in the city, while others tried to fight but were quickly killed by Salador and Alaina. They fought together, as one body, one soul, and their dragons attacked and burned the soldiers who remained. The attacks were going well, with the help of Eragon and Saphira, as well as Arya and Firnen on the right side of the city walls. Mainly Dwarves fought on the walls, their axes cutting through the soldiers.

The walls had been cleared and the soldiers moved on towards the heart of the city. Salador shouted for the men to follow him, while Alaina was busy killing a soldier. Soldiers impervious to magic had attacked, surprising them, but they had managed after a long fight to make them retreat. Salador blocked another sword, with his own and attacked, killing the man. Another came to replace him, attacking him, and injuring him in the shoulder. Salador killed the man. He saw Surdan soldiers breaking into a house in the city and pushing the helpless women out of the house. A rage came over him. He grabbed his sword, Nätt Raseri or "Strength and Honor", in his hand with all his strength. He ran and attacked the Surdan soldiers before they could hurt the innocent citizens. His sword slashed the first soldier on the chest. The second soldier attacked, but his sword was easily deflected. Salador made another quick move of his sword and killed the man. The final soldier ducked under Salador's heavy blow and tried to sneak an attack aimed at his heart. Salador dodged the attack and slashed the man's throat. He looked at the women and children, a calm expression on his face.

"You are safe. Stay inside until it is done." Salador told them, handing one of the women a short dagger. "You might need this." he said, as he climbed atop Gadaroth.

In the distance he saw Felangud and Sphinx and Saphira and Firnen flying in the sky, burning everything in their path.

The dwarves cheered at the sight, and attacked more ferociously, as the Surdans retreated.

Roran ran towards the center of the city, and the Governor's palace, soldiers following him with a quick speed, in neat ranks, despite being in the middle of a battle. Twice he had been surprised by Surdans who moved like elves, and both times he had barely managed to hold his own against them. His wards had been gone long since, and he had acquired many new injuries, a large injury on his left arm, and a scratch on his chest, from a sword. An arrow had pierced his armor, and had made a small injury on his shoulder. Overall, he felt as if a cart had ran over him.

Soldiers fell in front of him, pierced by arrows, or from his hammer. Alarik too, had many injuries, including the one on his leg, which slowed him down.

As they turned the street and found themselves in front of the Governor's palace, Roran found himself in front of a contingent of fresh soldiers, with bright armors. Leading them was a large man, his dark hair and eyes penetrating Roran. Malik, the general of Orrin.

"Stronghammer! What a surprise!" Malik said.

"Malik!" Roran said. "We have unfinished business." Roran replied.

"Indeed we do." Malik said, drawing his sword.

With a loud shout, Roran attacked, his hammer falling on Malik's shield. With a swipe of his sword, Malik attacked, but Roran managed to avoid the blow. The two men moved in a circle, looking at each other, expecting an attack. Malik attacked again, and Roran blocked the blow. With an attack of his own, he hit Mlaik on the shoulder. Malik's sword, pierced his leg. Both shouted in pain.

"You'll pay for what you did!." Roran threatened as he attacked again.

"It'll be a pleasure to kill you!. When I do I'll make sure to pay a visit to your family again. Perhaps this time, I'll have the pleasure of meeting your wife" Malik said, an evil grin on his face.

With a shout of rage, Roran attacked, blow after blow, attacking Malik, as Malik could only defend himself. He dodged Malik's sword, as it came for his ribs, and smashed his hammer on Malik's sword arm, breaking the bone. Malik shouted in pain. He punched Roran, throwing him away before he could hit Malik again.

"Die!" Malik said enraged, attacking Roran, managing to hurt him with a deep gash on his chest.

Roran attacked, dodging Malik's sword, until he came close enough, with another blow on Malik's arm, he threw the sword away. Another blow found Malik on the shoulder and with a final blow from his hammer, he smashed his face, as Malik dropped finally dead.

Roran panted, as his soldiers ran to protect their injured general.

"Hey Alarik!" Roran said, as Alarik turned to face him. "I think I found someone uglier than you!." Roran said with a pained smile , pointing his hammer to Malik's body. Alarik only laughed loudly.

For hours Eragon had fought against the Surdan men, helping when there was need. He and Arya had killed many Surdans, helping Salador and Alaina and the dwarves reach the center of the city. He could see the Surdans retreating, as Roran killed Malik, and Gregorbak and Thrain in the distance fighting a group of soldiers. The city center was a battlefield, small gorups of men fighitng each other, scattered.

The gates to the Governor's palace opened, and Tenga walked out. This was the moment Eragon had waited for. Surrounding Tenga, were men impervious to magic. Eragon flew on Saphira towards Tenga. Saphira landed in front of the Palace as Eragon jumped near her.

"Shadeslayer. We meet again!" Tenga said. The soldiers attacked Saphira, but she had no problem killing them with her tail and her claws and teeth, despite their speed.

Eragon attacked Tenga, swinging Brisingr, as it burst into fire. The shade blocked the blow with his black sword, his eyes burning with fury. They attacked each other, faster than the eye could see, still unwilling to use magic against each other. However, no matter how Eragon attacked, his sword was always blocked, and he always managed to block Tenga.

"You are strong." Tenga said.

Eragon ignored him and once more attacked with Brisingr searching for an opening. He would be patient, even if he had to fight for many hours against the shade.

A burst of air, hit his wards, and a ball of fire. Tenga was testing his wards. Eragon began chanting spells, death words, direct ways of killing, indirect ways of killing, each and every spell that he knew.

Some surprised Tenga, as Brisingr managed to break through the defense of the shade, but no where close to his heart.

A sudden attack, took Eragon's balance and he fell on the floor. A second passed and before he could roll away, Tenga's sword injured his arm.

"Is that all you can do, Lead Rider?" Tenga teased.

Eragon stabbed Tenga's mind with the full force of all the eldunaria, and entered Tenga's mind, for a few seconds, before he could recover. It was enough to see the hatred he had for the dragons and the riders, the fuel that was driving him. He saw glimpses of Tenga's failed experiment, before Tenga managed to regain control.

Bursts of lightning fell on Eragon. Perhaps a new tactic was needed. With a spell, he made himself invisible and attacked Tenga, with his full force. For a second Tenga was surprised, which gained Eragon a scratch on the shade's shoulder. The shade recovered, looking at Eragon's shadow to prevent his attacks. His blocks were a bit off though, as Tenga was not sure, where Eragon would attack.

"Impressive." Tenga said.

More spells fell on Eragon's wards. He could not keep this up without exhausting the energy from the smaller eldunaria. Finally, Eragon attacked with all the might of the eldunaria, creating a ball of fire. He knew the spell would not harm the shade, but it would momentarilly blind him. With a burst of speed, he attacked the shade, passing through his guard. The shade turned at the last instant, protecting its heart, so Brisingr stabbed right next to it. A shout of pain escaped Tenga as he blew up part of the castle, throwing Eragon away.

Tenga turned, and retreated, disappearing in the city.

Soldiers immune to magic attacked Eragon, but he managed to recover on time and kill them.

Orrin looked at the burning city of Dras Leona. Everywhere he turned, he could see the Dragons destroying his army. A great hatred filled him, as he saw Eragon winning Tenga, and the shade fleeing. He needed to retreat if he wanted to save his army. He looked at his sword, filled with the blood of enemies and at the city around him, with disgust. Perhaps he should have trusted the shade with more of his soldiers. Malik had died it seemed, but it made no difference. He would have had the general's head anyway. He could not trust the shade, or any of his generals. He could trust no one but himself. For start he needed to save what could be saved.

"Retreat!" Orrin shouted

The Surdan soldiers left the city, neatly, following the orders of their king. Hundreds of Surdans died in the retreat. Surdan archers fired volleys of arrows, trying to prevent Roran's soldiers from following. Soon, the Surdans were out of the city, pursued by the Empire's soldiers. Roran let the soldiers run behind the Surdans for a while, until he finally made them stop. It was a great victory for his men and for the war. Another city had been recovered. He lifted his hammer and shouted in the air "Victory!" as thousands shouted the word around him. A chill ran down his spine, knowing that he would remember this day until the day he died. The Dragons roared their approval in response, breathing flames in the air, as they flew above the recently conquered city. Banners of the Empire once again flew on the towers of the city. The city was theirs, and they were one step closer to victory.


	40. Chapter 40: The Heart of Winter

The atmosphere was foggy and full of smoke from the recently conquered city of Dras Leona as the city fell back to the hands of the Empire. Proud flags of the white dragon holding the golden lilly, the symbol of the Varden in the previous war, were raised in the highest towers of the city to announce to everyone the victory. Thick snow fell from the sky, as a bone chilling wind froze everything and everyone in its path. In hours, the snow had covered most of the signs of violence, as it slowly covered the ground and roofs of the houses. Soldiers were drinking and shouting as people danced for their victory in the various inns of the city, "The Two Swords", "The Dancing Dragon", and the " Golden Maiden". Loud cheers and claps and music could be heard as the people celebrated their freedom from Surdan rule. Outside, the wind continued to rage and snow fell heavily, determined to announce to everyone in the city that the Heart of Winter had arrived.

In the roads outside, few people walked. Gregorbak, the Urgal rider was walking in the darkness, his dragon Felangud, talking to him in his mind from the gates of the city. He entered "The Dancing Dragon Inn". He leaned himself on a wall, trying to relax his tired muscles as all the tables were filled and the inn had barely enough space to walk around. He ordered a mug of ale and sat there, watching the celebrations. A large grin was on his mouth as he looked at the singing soldiers and joined them. A group of soldiers was having a knife throwing competition, each time they lost their mark, they drank a cup of ale. In a corner of the room Roran and his men were celebrating, each time Roran drank a cup of ale, the whole inn almost collapsed with shouts of "Roran!", "General!" or "Stronghammer!". Roran looked at his men, proud of them, at their faces, full of admiration for him and his achievements. His injuries had been healed by a magician, but his expression looked tired from the battle. On his side, Alarik, a giant of a man was shouting and drinking, as if the battle had not tired him at all.

"To Victory!" Alarik shouted. "For our general! May he live long and bring us many victories!" He continued as with loud gulps he emptied a glass of ale. Men imitated him, around Roran.

"Are you sure you're up for so much alcohol?" Roran asked jokingly as other men laughed around them.

"I can drink a barrel, if I'd like." Alarik stated.

"I'd like to see that." Roran shouted. "Bring us a barrel!"

In another corner, Salador and Alaina were sitting in a table, their expressions happy as they talked to each other, laughing every now and then, looking at each other's eyes, like there was nothing else in the world.

Gregorbak chucked to himself. He still remembered the countless nights Salador had spent talking to him about his love for Alaina, asking for advice, as if he knew. He only knew about Urgalgra, and their desires were completely different from the humans and elves. No Human or Elf would demand that her man go to war and have glory and fame. The Urgal Society was based on warfare, while the humans and elves had different values. He liked Salador and Alaina and he hoped that they would be together someday but their ways were foreign to him. Everyday he discovered something new about the other races.

Still, a few soldiers looked at Gregorbak with suspicious eyes, as if they were suspecting that he was fighting with the enemy and he was a spy. The humans always supposed that Urgals were evil, conspiring with dark creatures and who knew what other nonsense, because of how they looked. Of course, the Urgals were also to blame, for they were a conflicting nation, always attacking and never having a second thought about violence. This was a tactic that would eventually lead the Urgals into extinction if they did not change their minds. One day they would find themselves on the wrong side of a spear, just like the Surdans were now. He wished there was a way to make the Urgals act more peacefully, or be more widely accepted by the other races, but the mutual suspicion was too strong.

"What are you looking at, Ugly face?" A man said to him, and Gregorbak looked at him harder.

"Leave him alone Falrik, we don't want no trouble." another man said.

"No, I know their kind. Demons they are! Always looking for a weakness, always waiting for the right opportunity to strike. Like snakes."

Gregorbak chuckled. "And always conspiring with other dark creatures, spying and killing young children with their bare hands while they drink their blood. That it?" he asked, exaggerating

"Stop laughing or I'll punch your ugly face!" Falrik shouted.

"There's not much honor defeating a drunk man, but I'll do it." Gregorbak said.

The man swung, but Gregorbak easily avoided the blow, as he returned it. Falrik managed to avoid the blow, by rolling away, as a small circle had formed around the two opponents. Falrik was avoiding him, somehting logical, as he was a Kull after all, double his size. Gregorbak was merely playing with the man, as he could easily had defeated him with his enhanced speed. With another fake punch, Falrik tricked Gregorbak and he managed to land a kick on Gregorbak's stomach. _Perhaps this game is not so amusing after all._he thought, as messages of pain went to his brain.

A strong swing hit Falrik, who fell on the ground but before Gregorbak could move, people separated them.

Roran laughed. "That was the most pathetic fight I've ever seen in my life. Falrik, go clean the dishes, until you finally get some more sense in that empty head of yours.!"

"Alarik, buy Gregorbak a drink. He won it fair and square!" Roran stated to cheers from the crowd around them. "Alarik?...Alarik!" Roran said searching for him. Alarik had fallen on the floor, unconscious from the alcohol. Perhaps the barrel of alcohol had been too much for the gigantic man. Roran spat some ale out, as he laughed, almost bending from laughing so hard.

Thrain walked into the inn, his grey eyes looking at the scene, and in the inn around him. His black beard was trimmed to perfection and he wore a red shirt and brown pants, and a large golden amulet of a Shrrgr, a giant wolf, snarling, the sign of his clan on his neck.

"Ah there you are! I've been searching for you!. We must go. Ebrithil wants to talk to us."

"Of course." Gregorbak stated, as he followed him outside the Inn. The last time he had seen Eragon, he had been talking to Queen Arya, and kissing her. Gregorbak smiled. It seemed everyone was falling in love but him.

The cold air greeted them outside, as thick snow fell from the sky, covering everything in its path. By the time they arrived at the governor's building, a small layer of snow had formed on Gregorbak's shirt. Bone chilling cold, tried to freeze him and Gregorbak moved fast trying to avoid staying in the cold a second more than he had to.

They finally reached the building and entered after the Guards let them in. A wave of warmth greeted them as they entered the large building, and headed towards Eragon. Twelve elven spellcasters were arranged around him, Blodgharm at their lead, and as soon as the two riders approached, the elves separated, in perfect unity. Gregorbak was always impressed by the elves, and that was high praise coming from someone from a society based on war.

On one side of the room, Arya sat, a green dress on her, revealing her beauty, and on her raven black hair, the silver tiara of the Queen of the elves, the image of perfection. On the other side of the room, Eragon looked at them with his brown eyes, as he held the pommel of Brisingr unconsciously, deep in his thoughts. He wore a white shirt that showed his muscular athletic body. He was slowly eating a bowl of fruits, apples, pears and some other local fruits.

A third person was in the room. He wore a black shirt, and his brown hair and eyes resembled those of Eragon. He had a determined expression on his face.

"Gregorbak, Thrain, this is Murtagh. I was surprised when he arrived earlier today, but it seems he had freed Nasuada from Orrin and sent her to Ellesmera, to safety."

"A pleasure to meet you." Murtagh stated, giving his hand. Gregorbak lifted his head in the sign of respect, while Thrain greeted him with a laugh.

"It is an honor to meet a famous rider, as you" Gregorbak stated.

"Please, sit down. We must discuss." Eragon said as the riders took seats around a large table.

"This has been a great blow for the Surdans and for the shade. It is possible that they will not be able to recover from the defeat. Still, the Surdans are a danger and especially the shade, as they demonstrated with the soldiers who are not affected by magic. Many elves and humans and dwarves died before we could find a solution to them. It was a surprise to all. We have suffered great losses." Eragon stated.

"We need more allies to guarantee a victory. We must get the Urgals to fight for us. I am sending you three on a mission there to persuade them." Eragon said at last.

"A great idea, Ebrithil" Gregorbak stated.

"Will it not be a risk?" Thrain asked.

"Winter has arrived and snow makes it difficult for siege machines and carts to move. Even soldiers will die of frostbite, if we move. No, we will be here for the winter, at least until the snows stop and melt." Murtagh stated.

"I understand. When do we leave?" Gregorbak asked.

"At first light." Eragon said. "That is all, you may go Gregorbak, Thrain, Murtagh." Eragon said as he looked at each in turn, concern on his face.

"Good Luck!" he shouted just as they exited the room.

The sun was still rising, as the three riders met outside the city gates. The riders had gathered supplies after the meeting, and several warm clothes for the journey and their stay, to protect them from the cold wind that still howled, and the snow still falling from the sky. The destroyed and blackened gates were a pitiful site, compared to the previous splendor. A large proud flag waved from the wind, and guards were posted protecting the city.

Gregorbak climbed on his seat on Felangud as Murtagh sat on Thorn, the largest of the dragons. Thrain sat on Sphinx, making a quick prayer, before she lifted off the ground, followed by the two other dragons, with loud roars that woke up the city below. Snow fell on their faces, and cold air tried to take the heat from their bodies. With a quick spell, Murtagh protected the three riders and dragons from the effects of the cold wind and the snow. Soon the smoking city disappeared behind them, covered by the thick fog and the low clouds. The dragons used their instincts to fly, as there was little to no visibility in the air.

Gregorbak looked at the white land below, amazed at how fast it had been covered by a thick layer of snow. He talked to his purple dragon Felangud as they flew.

_"Amazing! Wish I could fly with you forever."_ Gregorbak stated.

_"I wish it too, partner of my mind. If you only knew the joy it is to share this experience with you." _Felangud said with his deep bass voice that made Gregorbak's mind tremble.

Gregorbak patted the great purple dragon with his hand. _"I love you Felangud."_

_"I love you too little one."_ Felangud said humming. For a few moments they stayed silent, enjoying each other's company. On the right side of Felangud, Sphinx made a swirl as Thrain laughed and cursed in the Dwarf language.

"Where have you been all these years Murtagh?" Thrain asked.

Murtagh looked at the two young riders with a sad expression on his head.

"I once was as carefree as you. But being the son of Morzan is not easy, everybody looks at you like an outsider, an enemy." Murtagh explained. For a few minutes he explained about his role in the previous war, the anger for King Galbatorix and the desire to never again be used by a mad king.

"I wish to no one to experience the things me and Thorn have experienced. I hope that you will always be free to make your own choices." Murtagh stated.

Gregorbak was impressed. In many ways, Murtagh was like the urgals, people always looking at him with suspicion and disgust, as if he was evil. He felt sorry for Murtagh and his trials and his sadness was reflected by Felangud.

He looked at a river, underneath, branches flowing inside the freezing waters as he reflected on the story.

The Urgals were located near the Beor mountains. The dragons flew towards the massive mountains, that were covered in white, tall white towers reaching towards the sky. Trees could be seen until about halfway of the mountain, but beyond that, Gregorbak thought that no plant or animal could live that high.

_"Would you like to try to reach the top one day little one?"_ Felangud asked.

_"Perhaps when we are old and tired of life, we might go there Felangud."_ Gregorbak answered laughing.

_"There would be much honor in that. The first Urgal and Dragon to reach the top of the Beor mountains."_ Felangud said.

Gregorbak only smiled as a response.

The sun started to descend, as the three riders saw the first gray buildings that showed that there was an Urgal settlement underneath them. The buildings were well hidden. One could pass them as giant rocks belonging to the mountains, if he was not looking carefully.

Murtagh smiled as he saw the Urgal settlement. "Someone once told me to be careful of the Urgal King." he said with a smile, and Thorn growled.

Someone contacted them from the Urgal settlement.

"Dragons, Riders, we welcome you in our settlement." an Urgal magician said and then his conciousness vanished.

The dragons started their descent, eager to escape the cold wind and snow, towards the Urgal settlement.


	41. Chapter 41: The Urgal King

The cold air passed through the riders and dragons, and small snowflakes fell from the sky, around them. Thrain covered his short body with his dark cloak, hugging Sphinx for warmth, while Gregorbak sat on Felangoud, as if the weather did not affect him at all. Murtagh had a worried expression on his face, and a small amount of grey smoke, escaped Thorn's nostrils, as with sharp moves, he mirrored his rider's mood.

Underneath them, small grey rock houses, made to look like the surrounding landscape could be seen under the flying dragons. One could pass the great amount of rock houses, as part of the mountain, as if a giant explosion of a volcano, had thrown thousands of rocks, of every size and shape on the side of the mountain. Green trees and a small river passed through the middle of the settlement. A great giant tree dominated the center of the city. The tree was as old as the oldest trees in Ellesmera. It had giant branches full of green leaves, and the giant bark, was as thick as two dragons. On the other side, of the tree, a giant rock seemed to have crashed, as if the explosion had tried to eradicate the tree, but had missed its mark, by a few meters. Small black figures, carrying weapons could now be seen among the rock buildings, and a group of Urgals had formed at the center of the city, carrying spears. The settlement looked like an angry beehive, but soon, when they saw that the intentions of the dragons and riders were friendly, they formed into two straight thick lines of soldiers, forming a large way in the middle, for the riders and dragons to walk. The rocky surrounding landscape, helped to hide the giant Urgal settlement, as it was not different in any way.

Wanting to make the best impression on the Urgals and their king, the Dragons moved in unison, as if in a military parade, releasing three great tongues of fire in the air, melting the falling snowflakes, while they started to descend towards the Urgal settlement. In a matter of seconds, the three dragons landed, just outside the settlement. The Riders, jumped from their saddles and landed on the snow covered floor, their boots sinking on the soft, freshly fallen snow.

Tall black figures, Kull warriors surrounded them, as they lifted their heads in a sign of respect to the riders and dragons. Behind the Kull warriors, the Urgal warriors, who were shorter, also lifted their heads. Behind the soldiers, Urgalgra, Urgal women, stood holding their children by the shoulders, as if trying to protect them from danger. Overall, it was as if a sea of horns had suddenly taken over the settlement, as thousands of Urgals lifted their heads or showed their horns, depending on their thoughts towards the riders.

Children looked at the dwarven rider with curiosity and laughed at the short dwarf, beside his giant dragon, and showed admiring expressions when they saw Gregorbak, the Kull rider, pass through the crowd, followed by his purple dragon. Some Urgal and Kull warriors lowered their horns, as they saw Murtagh pass through the crowd. Lowering the horns meant that their mood was hostile towards him, and that made Murtagh lower his hand towards his sword, without touching it, ready for every possibility.

Gregorbak showed no sign of admitting the danger as with a great roar, he laughed at the crowd, and waved at them, and to friends and family that cheered him as he passed through the crowd. Some Urgalgra threw flowers as the riders passed, as if they were conquering heroes, returning from an epic battle. That made Thrain walk with pride, as he patted his black beard, and looked at his surroundings with interest.

As they walked towards the giant tree, the tree became bigger, as it seemed to cover half the sky, in size. Thrain was sure that it was some form of magic, but when he asked Gregorbak, the Kull warrior only laughed louder, as he continued to walk through the crowds. Thrain whispered something under his breath about Urgals, while Murtagh looked at his flustered expression and smiled. The tree was now more visible, and the riders could see that it's bark was covered with hieroglyphics and drawings of scenes of ancient battles against enemies of the Urgals and their everyday life in the settlement.

Just before they reached the tree, they made a sharp right turn, heading towards the rock that had fallen near the tree. It seemed to Thrain that the crowd was leading them towards a dead end, but with astonishment he saw that the Urgals had carved a large hole on the giant rock, a heavy iron door, pulled by two kull warriors, opened before them. Small statues of Urgal heroes could be seen at the entrance and Kull warriors dressed with shiny armor and proud expressions were at either side of the building.

"As long as you keep the King's peace and follow the Elder Council's laws, you can pass the Door of Greandal." an old Kull warrior said with a deep voice.

The riders lifted their heads, in the sign or respect, as they passed inside the giant rock. Thrain exclaimed as he saw that it was even larger on the inside, while he looked astonished. Murtagh looked at the surroundings with a calm expression.

"Did you think that the elves were the only race who knew how to do this?" Gregorbak said with an amused voice. Thrain lifted his shoulders, not knowing what to believe anymore.

A large group of elderly women, was waiting for them on the left side of the giant room, while on the center of the room, sitting on a splendid golden throne, sat a Kull. His tall muscular body, and wild characteristics as well as his attitude, marked him as an important figure, while his rich clothes, and black sceptre, showed his kingly position. His large horns were polished to perfection.

"I, Hruthgarok, Ublakodo- King of the Dark Moon, and the Fig No Tri, the Council of Elders, welcome you to Dablakuni, our great Urgal Holy City." the Kull said, with a deep rich voice.

"Your Highness, we are proud to meet you." Murtagh said formally, while the two other Riders repeated the words.

"It is an honor for us to host three Dragon Riders and their mighty Dragons." an old Urgalgra said. "My name is Hewbri and I speak for the Council of Elders." the old Urgalgra said. Thrain was surprised to notice that the council was made only by old Urgal women.

Murtagh and the riders bowed to the council.

"What is the purpose of your visit here?" Hruthgarok asked.

"We have come to ask for help from your mighty people in our war against King Orrin and Surda." Gregorbak said.

A silence fell in the hall, following the words. Gregorbak tried to look at the Urgals to see their reactions but, none showed in their face. It was as if they were members of the Elven Council.

"The dragons are an important part of the Natural order of things. Without their existence, magic would fall into chaos and our world would be a much darker and less beautiful place. They have shaped the history of the world, from the very beginning, and will continue to do so, for the rest of time. Ouroboros, after all, the God of Time, is a dragon, eating its own tail, and symbolizes the infinity of time, that by its very nature needs to include the dragons to exist. The dragon, is self sufficient, a perfect being of harmony, that needs nothing to survive, for there is nothing beside him. Time is like the Dragon eating its own tail. It needs nothing to survive, it feeds itself from our own mistakes, our own history, our battles, our triumphs, our defeats, our happiness and our sadness. Nothing can change time, and nothing can stop the mighty beast from moving forward. Time is eternal and so are the sacred beasts, the Dragons that symbolize this perfection. It is our duty in their time of need to help the dragons." Hewbri said with a loud voice.

"The Council speaks with the wisdom of years, but not with the experience of war." Hruthgarok said. "Our people are few and hunted, which is why we have hidden our settlements so well. People hate us, despise us, they chase us and kill us with no remorse. The same people who are now reaching out for our help. Why would we help those who have grieved us, who have hurt us? Many Urgals will lose their lives in this effort, and for what? A petty piece of land that we are bound to lose as soon as the other races have no need of our warriors?" Hruthgarok asked.

"We understand your concerns, but as Ambassadors of the Order of the Dragon Riders, we assure you that your people will not be harmed after the war is over, peace is a priority after all these years of fighting, and your people will be able to once again live freely among the people of the Empire, not needing to hide in this Holy city, but able to live among us". Murtagh said.

"And why should we trust the words of an oath breaker?" Hruthgarok said.

"I say so, in the name of my honor!." Gregorbak said loudly.

"Calm yourselves! Please." Hewbri said. "We have heard your request. We thank you for the offer. We will discuss the proposition with the Council and Hruthgarok, Chief of Chiefs, King of the Dark Moon, and we will inform you of our decision." Hewbri continued.

The riders bowed, and with slow deliberate steps, they left the giant throne room and set out towards the Giant tree.

"That did not go as planned." Thrain said.

"Bagrain, the God of War has blown his horn. It is only a matter of time, until our warriors heed his call." Gregorbak said.

Thrain remembered the myth of Bagrain, the Urgal Chief who had killed a God, in his love for them and his need to find his family in the underworld and live again with them, in the world of the living. He shivered at the thought of killing a God, the sheer power it would take to do so.

"Bagrain or not, the King has stated his refusal to aid us." Murtagh said.

"It is not so simple in our culture. You see, the King is limited in his power by the Council of Elders, so that he cannot do whatever he wants, so that he can also be challenged and controlled in extreme cases, of a violent or a mad king. But the council is also limited in its power by the King, so that it can also be controlled. To decide on an important matter of state, the King and the council must agree or they will continue to discuss it until finally, some deal is made between them." Gregorbak stated.

"Sounds like a recipe for disaster..." Thrain said with a grave expression.

Gregorbak smiled. "Some people believe so." he stated.

His gaze fell on the large tree. He hoped with all his heart, his people would make the right choice. He had faith in the Council of Elders and he hoped Hruthgarok would change his mind. Behind him, Murtagh admired the trunk of the tree, while Thrain had a skeptical expression on his face. They had nothing to do but wait.


	42. Chapter 42: The Tree of Jingolva

The snow had stopped falling from the sky, but a cold wind blew between the branches of the tree, trying to freeze everything in its path. Snow covered the ground and houses of the village, as small icicles had formed, hanging from the rooftops of the buildings or from cold air, made the riders tremble with the cold, and a grimace appeared on their face, their hands and legs felt colder, a small pain reminding them of the fact. Thrain tried to cover his body with his coat, while Gregorbak stood there admiring the tree, ignoring the effects of the cold. Murtagh had a half smile, as if amused by the situation. The three riders looked upon the giant tree in the middle of the city. Around them Urgals waited or looked at them with curiosity, not knowing what their king would decide about their fate.

It was obvious that the tree was important to the culture and the society of the Urgals but Murtagh could not guess the reason why. The tree's gigantic branches were covered with leaves, despite the fact that it was winter, and small red fruits appeared in some of the branches. The bark of the tree was covered with designs of the everyday life of Urgals, as well as scenes of battles and victories, masterfully carved on the tree, It was as if the tree could tell the story of the Urgal race to whoever looked at it, from its very beginning to the present time, describing the hardships and the victories of the Urgal people.

"This is the tree of Jingolva, our Goddess of Fertility." Gregorbak announced. "You already know about our God of War, but Jingolva is the Godess of Fertility. Her charms are unimaginable to a simple Urgal, or Kull. She is the embodiment of beauty, of perfection. She gives our women their beauty and our men the strength needed for our race. Without her, our race would slowly disappear and for this reason we honor her tree with the outmost respect. Her tree is a symbol of our race, a guide to its history and a warning for the future generations." he continued.

"All that from a simple tree?" Murtagh asked.

"You see a simple tree, but this is the gift our Gods gave us, the Gift of life, the gift of having a chance to live in this life, to be happy. Long ago Jingolva married the Father of the Gods, Farathok, the God of Wisdom. Farathok led a lonely life, studying and inventing, discovering but he was not happy. He still needed something in his life, someone to keep him company. In his infinite wisdom, he created Jingolva, the Godess of fertility, and in a way the Urgal race. As he created her, he put all his skill, his wisdom in creating her. She was the embodiment of perfection and soon, Farathok was so taken by her beauty that he fell deeply in love, forgetting his inventions, his great wisdom, blinded by his love for Jingolva, chasing her in the four corners of Alagaesia, trying to make her love him. It is said that when Jingolva finally gave in, she gave the seed of this tree to Farathok, as a sign of her acceptance, and of the children to come of the union and it is a custom that we keep to this day when a bride accepts a young Urgal. Their first son was born here, the first of the Urgal Race, Jeranthok." Gregorbak stated.

"A very nice story.!" Thrain said with an expression of wonder. It was always fascinating for him to discover new cultures, and beliefs.

"To think that the tree has survived to this day." Thrain continued. "A true miracle." Up in the air, their dragons were flying, showing off their beauty, their skills, giving an excellent image of the natural combined with the magic world, the Tree of Life, the biggest tree Thrain had seen and the Dragons, the most majestic creatures that lived.

The sun had started to descend and soon darkness overcame the village, with no news from the council of Elders or the King. Thrain was jumping from toe to toe, while Murtagh looked increasingly worried, touching the handle of his sword. With a sigh Gregorbak sat down on the floor.

"It seems the decision lies for tomorrow." Gregorbak stated and lied on the floor ready for sleep. Copying him, Thrain too feel alseep, while Murtagh stayed awake, looking at his sleeping friends.

The night was quiet and the only sounds came from an owl chasing its prey and the wind as it passed through the hidden houses of the Urgals. He looked once again at the tree and imagined what a tree of the human race would show, the images of violence, of slavery. With a grunt he turned away from the tree, annoyed by the direction his thoughts were taking. He was also feeling annoyed by the fact that he would have to sleep away from Thorn, his only comfort and support in all his hardships. He had grown as protective of Thorn as he was of him, but he had to do that to avoid hardships such as being enslaved to Galbatorix. It made his uncomfortable to leave him behind, because he was one of the two persons who could be used against him. The other was Nasuada, the love of his life and woman of his dreams. He was glad he had saved her from Orrin's prison and he had seen her again after such a long time. They had spent a long time chatting and flirting, until finally they had kissed. Murtagh smiled despite himself at the thought, feeling again the closeness with Nasuada, her soft hair, her lips, her scent. He was glad she was safe in Ellesmera.

A sudden cracking sound was heard as someone stepped on a branch, and Murtagh put his hand on his sword, as he sprung up. He released his sword from his scabbard as he looked around. Thrain had woken up from the sound and Gregorbak was still on the ground when ten figures attacked them in the darkness. They wore dark clothes and they were hard to distinguish in the night but still Murtagh managed to block a sword and stab at one with his sword. The man fell on the ground. Thrain shouted as one sword took him on the arm, but with a quick motion he attacked and another attacker fell. Gregorbak had already released his massive rider sword, bigger than most, and was hurling it around like a giant stick, spreading death wherever he attacked. Six men remained, but they were protected by some sort of walls, preventing the rider sword from harming them. The attackers were tall and muscular, Kull warriors for sure.

"Come on then! What are you waiting for?" Thrain shouted in the heat of the moment. Murtagh cast magic spells, the first twelve death words, knowing they would fail, and continuing to direct and indirect ways to kill. Gregorbak tried to enter their minds, but he soon discovered that it was impossible. He attacked at the men, charging at them like an enraged bull, furious for their sacrilege and their dishonor.

"Nobody but hornless Beasts attack guests." he thought angrily as he stabbed at them with all his strength.

A cry escaped one as he fell from the charge, while the others fended Gregorbak off, before Thrain helped him. Suddenly an attacker shouted, disorientated and Murtagh attacked. The man made no attempt to block, as Zarroc pierced his body.

"They're vulnerable to blindness" he announced as with another spell he made the attackers blind. From there, it was short work for the three riders to end the attackers before they had a chance to find a counter measure.

More Urgals started to appear, as they surrounded the area, not allowing anyone to come close to the tree where the whole scene had took place. Urgals wailed and some shouted as the sacriledge, saying the Gods would punish them for spilling blood on their sacred ground and tree, while others shouted for the riders to be removed from the sacred city.

"Silence!" A strong female voice could be heard. "The council has decided! The Urgal race will help the humans in their struggle against the Surdans.!" Hewbri, the leader of the council shouted.

"Then you will do so without my support!" Hruthgarok, the king of the Urgals said with his loud voice. "It is clear the riders bring only mischief and doom to our people." He said.

"I command the army to stay here.!"the king shouted.

"No, the army shall follow us to help the Humans.!" the council shouted.

The Urgals looked uncertain. This was the first power struggle in their history. Some who wanted to help the humans followed the council, while others remained behind.

"Come to me!" a tall Kull shouted. "I am Nar Gharzvogh! You know my name from my great deeds. Our people will help the humans in their time of need and songs will be written about us as Urgals and Kulls will drink in our names! Come to me and follow me to Belatona! I shall lead this army to glory!" Nar Gharzvogg said. The Kull warrior had been a strong supporter and friend of Eragon.

The Urgals still looked stunned but they followed the call of the Kull.

"Blood has been spilled on the ground of our sacred tree, inside our sacred city. This has never happened before!" Gregorbak said angry.

"Always the Dragons and Riders bring monumental events in our history" Gregorbak stated. "It is the first time that the council of Elders acts without the agreement of the Urgal King in its decision to help the Humans in their struggle against the Surdans." Gregorbak said with a loud voice.

"Is that so surprising to you Gregorbak? They are creatures of magic after all." Thrain said patting Vincix's neck.

"We always change events according to our wisdom, we show the humans, Urgals and dwarves their errors." Vincix said seriously with her melodious voice.

"I know that, from Felangud." he said and for a few seconds his hard eyes softened as he looked lovingly towards his dragon. Do you understand what this means? This brings the Urgals on the brink of civil war, Urgals will kill Urgals." he said disgustedly.

"I understand this is hard for you." Murtagh said.

"It is hard for our race. We will have difficulty surviving this as if the situation was not tough already." Gregorbak said as he looked at the city, with furious eyes.

He was trembling, filled with anger towards the stupidity of the struggle, and before the possibility of extinction. He was furious at the King for not understanding that helping was the only option for the Urgals, to be accepted by the humans and other races of Alagaesia, to be able to trade to live in peace with them. A growl escaped Felangud as he shared his riders anger through their link, and he tried to comfort Gregorbak but the Urgal rider was distant, lost in his thoughts, unapproachable. He was determined to clear the name of the Urgals with his actions.

"But the council will help us, half the Urgal army will go to war against Surda." Thrain said, trying to cheer him up.

A half smile appeared on Gregorbak's face.

"Perhaps the Urgal race still has some hope then." Felangud stated, as Gregorbak climbed on his back. Felangud took off. He knew that some flying would help clear his rider's mind off these problems.

Already, the Urgal and Kull warriors were beginning to stand outside the city gates, in ranks. At the front ranks, gigantic Kulls held axes and mighty weapons, with their powerful hands, the veterans of many battles and wars. On the middle of the army, the Urgals were aligned cheering and shouting. They were weaker and more easy to break in battle, Murtagh thought, but they were surrounded by Kull warriors, as the last line was also filled with Kulls, who would push the Urgals on in case they broke their ranks in battle. Felangud was making circles above the Urgal army, roaring, as the Kulls and Urgals lifted their spears, cheering. It was a good display, Murtagh thought, as he climbed on Thorn, ready for take off as Thrain imitated him.

Soon, the three riders were flying above the Urgal army who would support Roran and his army against the Surdans, as they slowly walked towards Belatona, where a battle would be fought, to end the Surdan invasion.


	43. Chapter 43: Secret Mission

A merchant shouted his wares in the otherwise quiet city of Belatona. What was once a big, live city full of life was now a city with ruins inside, filled with people who were afraid for their lives, afraid of what was coming, a battle that could permanently injure them or kill them. The houses were dark, and only once in a while, one could hear whispering voices of people, afraid that if they talked loudly they would invite bad luck. In a house a dog growled and barked as a stranger walked by, and a few birds flew scared. The stranger saw the patrols in each corner of the city, guarding it. As a patrol prepared to turn at the small road he was in, he quickly jumped on a building and climbed the wall using his physical strength. In a matter of seconds, he turned into a giant cat, climbing on the roof of the house. His soft paws made no sound as he ran on the red tiled roof, away from the patrol. His mission was to spy on King Orrin's plans, and he had been successful. He had learned the positions of the troops in the city, and important military information. He had to be careful if he wanted to get out of this alive. He quickly turned another corner and found himself in the road where the merchant was shouting her wares. Her brown curly hair waved as she moved her head watching the soldiers that passed by, and her sparkling green eyes made it impossible not to look at her, despite her short stature. The giant black cat moved towards her feet and rubbed into them, greeting her.

"There you are Solembum! I had begun to worry" Angela said, putting her hand on a small glass dagger that she used as a weapon.

"There was no need. The Surdans are blind as bats to us werecats." Solembum said with a hiss.

"Just this morning I heard that two werecats were caught and killed in the marketplace." Angela stated as she stopped shouting her wares for a little while.

Solembum looked at the soldiers with hatred, but there was nothing he could do.

"It's time to go." he stated as he jumped in the small cart, containing fruits, vegetables, herbs and other plants.

"There is a only a small stop we have to make." Angela said driving the cart in the small road.

She drove the cart on the empty streets of the city, the horse's hooves sounding loud on the paved roads. The horse was strong and white, clearly of a pure bred line.

A patrol of soldiers came their way and stopped them with their spears.

"Who goes there?" the soldier shouted.

"You dare stop the mighty Merchant Arianna? Do you have any idea who she is or the wealth she carries? She could buy this city twice over with the amount of money she has." Solembum said in a loud outraged voice, as he appeared in his human form. He gave a meaningful glance at Angela who looked the part of a highborn lady, in her masterfully made dress, her expensive jewelry and her rings, made of precious stones.

"My...my lady, I am terribly sorry. I was...I was just following orders." the soldier said looking at Angela, with wide eyes.

"There is no need to be scared young man. I am both generous and kind to those who help me. I will not hurt you if you kindly escort us to the warehouse, to leave our wares."

"Of course my Lady Arianna." the soldier said, with an awkward bow as he ordered his men to escort the cart to the warehouse.

"Who had this marvelous idea of hiding in plain sight again?..." Solembum said in her mind in an annoyed voice, anxious of getting caught.

"It was Eragon's idea. Sometimes I have a feeling he wants to kill me for being so cryptic with him." Angela said with a smile as she laughed.

Solembum only groaned. His heart was beating with each second that passed and he only wished this would be over soon.

A tall grey building with small windows and decorating columns was the warehouse of Belatona, filled to the brim with food and other necessities that would help the city withstand a lengthy siege. The soldiers stopped in their tracks and the captain came closer to the wagon.

"If my lady will be so kind as to step out of the cart."

Angela lifted her richly made dress and stepped on the road with a confident air, as if she owned the place.

"Unload the wagon, and be quick about it, I have other places to be to." she said loudly as if the captain was her servant.

"My beautiful lady, please follow me for some refreshments while my soldiers and your servant work to unload the cart." the soldier said.

"It would be my pleasure" she said with a meaningful look at Solembum who had almost blown his cover at the mention of the word servant. The captain had said it in a demeaning voice.

She followed the captain to a table filled with grapes, fruits and some expensive wines, as she turned her back to the cart, as if it never existed.

"We rarely have the pleasure of working with beautiful merchants, and highborn ladies" the captain said clearly trying to flirt with her.

Angela smiled and batted her eyelids in her best impression of a highborn lady, looking upwards, in a cold fashion.

The captain tried a few more lines to flirt with her in vain, and eventually the two of them talked about other things.

"My lady, the cart has been unloaded." one of the guards announced.

"Finally, I was beginning to lose patience." Angela said in a cold fashion walking hurriedly towards the cart. Solembum carried a large chest full of coin, the payment for the goods they had left in the warehouse. It would have been a profitable business. Angela thought bitterly, shaking her head bitterly.

"A nice horse that one.! I would give my right hand to possess such a horse." the captain shouted.

"Perhaps another time, my captain. Perhaps for a better price than your hand." Angela said smiling.

The captain smiled in return. Snowfire finally turned the cart and started to pull it away from the warehouse.

"I thought that would never end." Angela complained when they were at a safe distance.

"You complain! I had to carry the barrels full of wine and food." Solembum said.

"Stop acting like a baby! It was a job well done." Angela said. The barrels were full with poison and other ingredients that would give the soldiers hallucinations and other gruesome symptoms.

A large camp surrounded Belatona, as the besieging army laid siege to the city. The besieging camp was filled with tents of every size, from small ones for the soldiers to larger ones for the captains and generals. The largest one was the white command tent, where Roran, as the commander of the army and the other generals made their plans for the attack that would occur the other day. A large clearing had been left on one side of the tent so that the dragons could also take part in the meeting. Soldiers ran around the camp, following orders from their superiors, while others waited patiently for the command of attack eating, or playing cards with their fellow soldiers. Many officers were in front of the command tent, trying to regulate the large army that had amassed in front of Belatona. The second largest tent of the camp was a yellow one, the cooks tent, where cooks prepared food for the giant army, cooking food in large fires, or large pots, running to gather ingredients and serve the ever growing mass of men that was waiting for their food. It was like they were trying to satisfy a large dragon with insatiable hunger, for more and more food.

The camp had been formed a few weeks past. The winter snows had finally stopped and the ground had grown solid again, making it easier for the carts carrying supplies and arms to follow the great army besieging Belatona. The winter cold had given its place to a mild weather, sometimes hot making the soldiers sweat and feel like they were swimming in hot water or sometimes bone chilling cold, as the humidity in the air in combination with the cold air made it impossible to walk outside their tent.

In a table outside the cooks tent, Eragon was sitting with Arya, eating his fruits, watching the activity around him, trying to listen to the conversations of soldiers to determine the mood in the camp, judging wether the soldiers needed encouragement. It was always good for the commander of the soldiers to be seen among them.

He looked at the woman he loved, the woman of his dreams Arya. She too was sitting and eating from a bowl of fruits. He observed how she slowly ate her fruits by category, finishing her apple, then her pear, then a few strawberries that had remained in her plate. He always liked to eat his fruits without any particular order. He smiled at the thought. He observed Arya's lips, the lips he would kiss for eternity if he could, and at her beautiful sparkling green eyes.

"What?" Arya asked. "I'm not going anywhere you know." Arya said.

He still remembered the day that would forever remain in his memory. He was sitting alone in his tent after a hard day of training in the new magic he had discovered in the power of Tenga, worrying about mastering the time spell when Arya knocked at his tent and entered. It was always a plesant surprise to see her. He greeted her with a passionate kiss as they both sat down talking about non important things.

"I hear one of the Flagbearers was lucky. He got so near to Belatona that a bowman shot him with his arrow. Thankfully, the arrow pierced his armor but did him little damage but he was crying and cursing the Surdans like a madman." Eragon said laughing.

Arya laughed too as they kept talking.

Suddenly he noticed that Arya was thinking of something else. He pressured her to tell him what was in her thoughts.

"I've been meaning to tell you this but I was trying to find a better time. Perhaps after the battle is over." Arya said.

"What is it Arya? I promise we will solve it together. He said with a concerned voice looking at her beautiful eyes and holding her hands.

"Eragon...I'm pregnant." Arya said loudly after taking a deep breath. A smile appeared on her face as she said it, and she hugged Eragon tightly.

"You're pregnant!" Eragon shouted. "I'm going to be a father!" Eragon shouted with all his strength hugging her and lifting her in the air as he whirled her around, his head dancing from happiness. He kissed her passionately and for a few minutes there was nothing else in the world than the two of them, lost in their happiness and their emotions of love.

I'm going to be a father!" he shouted again still not believing the words coming out of his mouth and the mother was going to be the woman he loved, the woman he would sacrifice everything for, Arya.

Arya laughed looking at him and his reaction.

Eragon returned back to the present, his eyes clearing and he heard again the sounds from the tables.

"Eragon? Eragon!" Arya said trying to get his attention.

"Sorry, I was lost in thought." Eragon said, apologizing.

"I started to worry you had become one of those elven statues." Arya said with a smile.

"Is that a compliment I hear?" Eragon replied. Elven statues were famed for their beauty and for their craftsmanship, the images of perfection.

"Maybe!" Arya answered as she laughed, not giving a clear answer.

Angela appeared, in a rich dress, riding a magnificent white horse, followed closely by Solembum. Eragon smiled as she saw the weird herbalist and waved her to the table as he took chairs for her and Solembum to sit.

"I take it your mission was a success?" Eragon asked.

"Was there ever a doubt that King Theomon would surrender to King Grendal? Besides, I had to pull a few strings to get the poisons. Mainly, I had to find and contact a man with a bald head, who owns a donkey with a scar in the shape of a rooster." Angela said.

Eragon looked at her with a smile. He had no idea who those kings had been or what their lives were.

"One day I'll have to meet your friends. Sounds like you have company with many interesting individuals."

"Perhaps one day, if you're wise enough not to trip on your own boots" Angela said with a friendly pat on the shoulder.

Eragon looked at her with a stunned expression. Women always surprised him. He wondered wether he would ever make sense of Angela or Arya for that matter, with their cryptic answers.

The day was late, soon it would be night and the soldiers would sleep or try to sleep in their tents for at dawn the next day a battle of battles would be fought, a battle to determine the fate of a war and the fate of two Kingdoms and thousands of people. Eragon looked at Arya, worried. She would also fight, despite being pregnant, and he was determined to not let any harm befall her or Roran or the people he cared the most for. In the distance a loud roar could be heard. Saphira roared in the sky, answered by the other dragons, feeling his mood from afar and she tried to calm him. He gripped the hilt of Brisingr ready for the challenge ahead of him.

Sorry for the long wait. I had some vacation, and also a lot of internet and computer problems lately. :) Hopefully they're done and I can keep writing the story. Thanks for reading and for the positive comments!


	44. Chapter 44: The Sorrows of War

The sky was red as the sun began to rise, signaling the beginning of a new day. The sky was clear, with no cloud in sight. It would be a perfect day, if the two armies did not have to fight each other at that same day. Saphira roared in the sky, the other dragons answering her call from different parts of the Empire's camp. From the sky she watched the armies below, as she flew above them to boost their morale and give them courage. On her back Eragon lifted Brisingr high in the sky, causing the Empire's army to shout their war cries.

The city was buzzing with movement as generals shouted orders and the captains and soldiers ran to obey their commands. Bowmen were on the walls waiting for the Empire's army, and spearmen supported the bowmen in case the enemy managed to reach the walls. Further in the city, the defenses were weaker as the Surdan army had tried to defend the wall and the gate as much as possible from the oncoming attack.

Away from the main city walls, at a safe distance, the army of the Empire was standing, waiting for the command to attack the waiting city. The soldiers had formed in neat rows in perfect square formations. In front of each square the captain was waiting for orders that would come from Roran, commander of the army. A large group of archers had formed in the front, mainly elves, who were known for their marksmanship, and some humans so they could support the soldiers as they ran towards the walls with their stairs trying to climb the walls. Human swordsmen and spear men had formed behind them. On their right side was the massive column of the dwarven army, dressed in heavy thick plate armor carrying axes and maces. On their left was the column of the elves, dressed in bright light white armor, carrying shiny sharp swords, a sight to remember. In front of the archers, siege towers and other war machines were positioned, ready for the signal to advance towards the walls of Belatona. Catapults were firing in the city, their massive rocks causing damage to the walls and to the gates. The cavalry, composed mostly by humans was positioned, so as to wait for the gate to fall and the make their attack towards the city, minimizing their losses. On the back was the newly arrived Urgal army, the Kulls in front, while the Urgal rams were behind, shaking their swords, eager for battle.

Roran made a round of the armies, on his horse, Snowfire. He lifted his hammer and the soldiers answered with loud cheers and cries. Finally, he stopped at the very centre and with a single motion of his right hand, he shouted: "Charge!".

Soldiers ran and the siege machines started towards the walls, arrows flying past them and on them, trying to stop them. Many soldiers fell in the first few moments but still they ran forward, as one, like a river, determined to pass every obstacle that was in its path. Soldiers lifted ladders, trying to climb the walls, while others threw ropes and others shot arrows towards the defenders killing a few with some lucky shots.

A group of soldiers was trying to break the gate using a battering ram, as the Surdan soldiers rained boiling hot oil from above, killing them and trying to burn the siege machine. Arrows rained from above, and answering shots were fired by the Empire's army. Arrows passed near Roran like mad bees trying to sting the soldiers

A ground shaking boom was heard as the battering ram hit the door. It was the second battering ram they had used and it seemed that this too would be destroyed by the Surdan soldiers. Saphira passed above the gate and kicked the door with all her strength but the door held. Frustrated Saphira released a torrent of blue fire on top of the wall.

With another loud crash the gate finally gave way and the doors banged open. One of the doors fell as its hinges broke and trapped some Surdan soldiers underneath it.

"Advance!" Roran shouted as he ran towards the open gates, his soldiers following him only steps behind. He wanted to be the first through the city, giving the example to his men, and giving them courage to continue fighting. Soldiers shouted behind him, their war cries loud as they passed the wall and met the Sudan soldiers head on. Spears broke and shields crashed as the two armies collided. Roran ran and avoided spears and swords coming his way or blocked them with his shield. His hammer fell on a soldier crushing his back, while another blow killed a young soldier who was trying to behead him. His heart beat faster as he saw the death around him and as always he felt more alive than ever when he was fighting, alert of every tiny detail in his surroundings.

On his side Alarik was using his mace to kill soldiers, swinging it around like a giant metallic tree, and none of the Surdan soldiers wanted to be in his path of destruction. A giant came forth from among the Surdans and collided with Alarik making him lose his mace, as they started to brawl in the battlefield, their fists drawing blood like two mountains colliding with each other. Roran stepped aside. He could not help Alarik, even if he wanted to.

"To me!" he shouted as loud as he could as he charged again, and the soldiers who were able to, followed him. A silver dragon passed above him, pouring silver fire over the Surdan soldiers, cooking them in their armor, and another yellow dragon crushed more soldiers with his tail. Alaina and Salador, always fighting together, and always in the nick of time.

Taking advantage of the confusion Roran charged a group of soldiers, getting deeper into the city of Belatona. On his right was the road leading to the giant stadium where the Olympic games had been held, while on his other side was the governor's palace and many important buildings. Deciding on the spot he moved towards the governor's palace.

Gregorbak flew on Felangud observing the battlefield. The dwarves were making short work of the men on the walls, while the elves were killing soldiers impervious to magic and other Surdan soldiers with ease with their supernatural strength. The Surdans were slowly retreating deeper into the city, but their forces still held. The Urgals and Kulls were helping the humans in their battle against the Surdans, giving help where it was needed, making their ancestors proud with their bravery and ferocity. No race could withstand a collective Kull attack, and the Kulls were making short work of the Surdan cavalry.

Still Gregorbak was ashamed by the fact that his race had not participated wholly on the battle to save the Empire. They had shown closed mindedness and hatred towards the other races, the very traits that would be the downfall for their race. A great anger filled him and there was only one way to let it go, killing Surdans. He did so wholeheartedly. His mind was still filled with the thought. There had to be a way to redeem the Urgals and save his race!. There just had to be a way for the other races to accept the Urgals and let them live with them peacefully!. He was determined to make it happen. He forced himself to focus on the battle.

The castle of the governor of Belatona was full with Surdan soldiers, as it was a strategic position of the city. If this building fell, that would be a massive boost to the morale of the Empire's army and a great hit to the Surdan army. Saphira bathed the Surdan soldiers with fire as she snapped her jaws, creating space for her to land and for Eragon to jump on top of the walls. As soon as she landed, spears flew towards her and arrows tried to pierce her defenses.

"Fly away! We will meet later!" Eragon said through their mental link.

Eragon blocked a sword from a soldier with Brisingr while he used his shield to block a flying spear and another sword from injuring him. With a series of moves with his sword, he killed the two soldiers in front of him, and sprinted forward, as he knocked a soldier off the wall, to his doom, with a sprint.

He slowly made his way inside the castle, killing soldiers that blocked his way searching for Tenga to finish him once and for all. He saw a room guarded by guards and he quickly made short work of them.

There was something wrong. No one was in the room. The room was empty, only filled with a large table with chairs around it, and a bookcase filled with books.

"Where is the Shade?" Eragon asked himself.

Then he noticed it. Sitting in one of the chairs was a man chained in one of the chairs. Eragon sprinted to save the man but it was already too late. The man was dead, his throat slashed. In front of him was a map of Alagaesia and the lands beyond, lands that he had passed to find Du Skulblaka Ramr. And where the new dragon city was located a dagger had been pinned down on the map. Written in blood, on the map he saw the words. "Enjoy your last moments. Tenga"

A look of horror filled Eragon's face. A great anger filled him as soldiers impervious to magic surrounded him, attacking him. He blocked a sword with Brisingr and lopped the soldier's head, and he smashed his shield on the face of another but the soldiers were too many. He felt the swords hitting his wards, and his energy decreasing at an alarming rate. He kicked the table, and it knocked a few soldiers down but he was only buying time. He used magic to throw the bookshelf on the soldiers, smashing a few with the heavy bookshelf.

"Saphira!" Eragon shouted through his mental link. A loud roar could be heard from afar, Saphira's response, but she was too far away and so were the other soldiers of the Empire.

Felangud smashed through the wall, destroying it completely. Rocks flew and hit soldiers while sharp wood flew everywhere, killing indiscriminately. Purple flames filled the room, and Gregorbak fell on the ground. He used his sword to defend Eragon and give him a short rest, while the soldiers were still stunned. Still they outnumbered them and they came determined for the kill. Rested, Eragon came to battle again, killing the soldiers with his superhuman speed and strength as Gregorbak too used his horns and sword to kill the soldiers. Gregorbak avoided a blow from a sword and then he saw it. The soldier who was carrying the death spear. One of the dauthderts. The soldier aimed and fired the spear towards Eragon. He had his back turned, fighting men and avoiding blows. There was no way he could see it coming.

"Eragon!" Gregorbak shouted and he saw the spear flying. Without thinking about it, With two giant steps he leapt towards the spear, blocking its way. The spear split his defenses as if they did not exist extinguishing them and pain filled his body. For a few seconds, he was stunned, but soldiers still came to kill him. He spinned his sword, in a vain attempt to block but swords pierced him. With a last spell, he used all his remaining strength to destroy the room they were in, and kill as many soldiers as possible whilst protecting himself, Eragon and his dragon. A large explosion filled the room. His power was gone, and darkness overcame him. The last thing he heard was his name from Eragon, and the cries of anger and sorrow of his dragon Felangud as he fell on the ground, the spear still attached to his body.

A group of men in richly decorated armors appeared in front of them, as King Orrin and his personal bodyguards attacked Roran and the group of men around him. For a few seconds confusion ruled the Empire's men but soon they fought the Surdans back, defending themselves from their swords and killing many of them. Roran attacked a bodyguard with his hammer smashing his sword arm before killing him with another blow.

"We finally meet in the battlefield again, Stronghammer" King Orrin stated with an arrogant smile.

"I hope you are ready to meet your end!" Roran shouted.

Without further ceremony, the two men collided, Roran swinging his hammer and Orrin elegantly evading his blows, and attacking whenever he saw an opening in Roran's defenses. With a mighty blow, and a twist, Roran tried to trick Orrin into believing that he would attack from the other side, but Orrin was a seasoned swordsman and he understood Roran's attack, blocking it with his shield.

He narrowly avoided Orrin's sword and again attacked, only to be blocked by the shield again. This would be a tough fight, Roran thought. King Orrin attacked, abandoning his defensive strategy, getting tired from waiting for Roran to attack. With a mighty blow, he tried to cleave Roran in half, as Roran lifted his shield to block. Sparkles flew from the sword and shield. Roran managed to hit Orrin on the knee, as Orrin stabbed him on the shoulder, making a deep cut.

The knee injury made it difficult for Orrin to move and he was slower in evading Roran's hits, as he tried to ignore the pain emanating from his shoulder and focus only on attacking Orrin.

"I'll make sure your family dies after this battle." Orrin threatened. "Perhaps I'll make Katrina my queen..." he said with a grimace of pain and a half smile.

Roran felt a great anger fill him at the words, his blood boiled and his hands trembled as only one thought filled his mind, killing King Orrin. Like a tornado he advanced towards Orrin, raining blows with his hammer from left and right, without thinking, without any strategy only hitting Orrin ignoring the shield and the sword, the returning blows. King Orrin stepped backwards, getting hit by all directions, trying to defend himself, cursing as he got hit on the back and shoulders and once as his helmet flew away from a mighty blow from Roran's hammer. He managed to hit Roran just above his left breast. Roran fell on the floor as Orrin loomed above him, ready for the final blow.

"Good Riddance!" Orrin shouted as he lifted his sword.

With a final effort, Roran kicked Orrin on the hurt knee and once more, to knock him on the ground, and with a mighty blow he hit Orrin on the shoulder with his hammer, making a large dent on his armor.

King Orrin lied on the floor stunned unable to lift his shield to defend himself. Roran charged and with one final blow he hit King Orrin on the face, smashing it with his hammer. King Orrin was dead, and it was his blow that had killed him. For a second Roran was stunned, unable to move from the thought, as he looked at the dead body.

"King Orrin is dead!" the Surdans shouted seeing their king fall in the battlefield and many ran away as the Surdan lines gave way.

A loud explosion came from the battlefield from the direction of the governor's palace. In a single moment, half the building had been destroyed, throwing rocks and creating a huge cloud of dust.

Roran saw nothing but smoke around him, and the shadows of men fighting, getting killed and injured, retreating and marching onwards. The Surdan soldiers had lost their courage with the death of King Orrin. They started to retreat further and further, unsure of what to do and how to turn the battle to their favor. From street to street they fought, among the ruins of the giant explosion that had shook the city of Belatona to its foundations, destroying houses and public buildings. Another loud explosion was heard and more buildings fell to the ground as the last Surdan magicians made their last stand. Roran lifted his hand and waited for the cloud of smoke and dust to fall to the ground before he marched onwards, as did all the men under his command following his order. Silence fell in the battlefield as both armies were stunned by the explosions.

A white flag appeared in one of the standing towers of the city's palace. The remaining Surdan soldiers appeared from the tower, led by a man on a black horse. One by one they threw down their weapons as they lifted their hands, showing their surrender. King Orrin, their leader, was dead, and so were many of the high ranking officers, leaving the remaining soldiers without a clear chain of command. Their leader, a man in a bright silver armor and crystal like green eyes, unmounted and carrying his sword he approached Roran. Stopping at a safe distance, the man knelt and placed his sword in both hands, offering it to Roran, giving him command of his men.

"By the power given to me by my rank as the most senior officer and with this sword, I signal the surrender of the Surdan forces." the man said loud and clear.

" I Roran Stronghammer, Son of Garrow and commander of the Empire's forces, and by the blood our forefathers have shed to build this land and save it from the destruction of mad kings and tyrants, I accept your surrender! May there be no more bloodshed, and may we live in peace for the centuries to come!." Roran shouted clearly and before he could finish the whole army was cheering and celebrating their victory.

Thousands of men laughed and cheered the end of a bloody war, the end of destruction and the beginning of a new age of peace, leaving behind them the sorrows of war.


	45. Chapter 45: Peace

The sun appeared at dawn over the ruined walls of the city of Belatona marking the coming of a new age and an era of peace and prosperity. Smoke still rose from some of the buildings, where small fires were burning from the siege, and destroyed towers marred the beauty of the city. The mighty gates had fallen and were now guarded by the most powerful elven magicians. Soldiers of the empire had already started the gruesome task of collecting the bodies of the dead, to prevent the spread of disease and illnesses. Where the governor's palace once stood, there was only a blackened wall and a mountain of ruins and destroyed towers to remind the future generations that there once was a beautiful building at that place.

A heavy silence had fallen on the city, as the people were anxiously waiting for the peace negotiations to end for the war to be officially over. Once King Orrin had died, a large amount of his army had surrendered, while a few others fled the city and were camped at a small distance. The few remaining soldiers of Surda were trying to save what could be saved from their small country. From the early hours of the morning two groups from the two opposing armies had a meeting.

Soldiers walked the streets looking tired from the constant battles, their armor broken, and their shields full of lines where swords had been stopped, unsure whether they should celebrate the victory of the Empire over Surda or not. They were ready to fight another battle at a moment's notice, their eyes moving from corner to corner searching for danger.

In the building now used as headquarters for the army, the Surdans and Roran with the riders were discussing the terms that the peace would be signed with. A brave man with black hair and crystal like green eyes was leading the Surdans in the negotiations. He was the same man who had surrendered the forces of Surda during the battle. His name was Willhart. He was a good man with a brave heart, and Roran thought they could become good friends.

"It is not possible to accept a unification of Surda to the empire. Even if you could make us accept i don't think you have the power to make two nations who have just fought each other to live together in peace and harmony. " Willhart said in a firm voice.

"We have also thought of this possibility and with the help of the riders we will manage to do so. It is also true that to avoid any future wars this could be a good solution. Surda has no reason to exist outside of the empire anymore. It was separated from the empire when Galbatorix was in power as a rebellious state and despite our differences we want to unite the empire once again." Roran stated.

There was a long pause as the Surdan thought of the possibility.

"Very well. But if this will occur I would like to further discuss the details" He finally stated.

Many hours of tedious conversation passed, regarding the details of the surrender as well as how the Surdans would be treated by the Empire. Eragon contacted Roran as the surdan was leaving.  
" There is still another matter to consider." He said to him mentally.  
" What?" Roran asked after a few seconds  
"The empire has no king or queen. Nasuada is in Du Weldenvarden with Murtagh. She contacted me to proclaim her intention of stepping down from the throne. She is unwilling to return to the empire. It is rumored anyway that Nasuada was killed by King Orrin during the war. Perhaps it is for the best. Maybe after a long time, Murtagh and Nasuada will be left alone to live their lives." Eragon stated with a sigh.

"Why are you telling me this?" Roran said cautiously.

"You led the Varden during the war. You were the General of the army, and you are loved among the people. I think you would be a great choice to be King." Eragon stated and waited for Roran's response. He waited for a few minutes, willing to let Roran think over it. It was an important decision he would take. Finally, just as he was about to ask Roran he spoke.

"Your words honor me brother. But is there no one else better than me who is willing to rule?" Roran said.

"I do not think there are any." Eragon said with a smile.

"In that case...I accept." Roran stated.

Eragon smiled and touched him on the shoulder. "That is great news indeed brother!. We shall make the announcement tomorrow" Eragon said loudly, seeming relieved. At least the empire would be in good hands while he was gone.

A short laugh escaped Roran. "From farmer to king. I don't think that has ever happened before". he said explaining.

"A tale for the bards to sing." Eragon said agreeing.

Two great horns sounded marking the surrender of Surda and the victory of the empires forces. Surda had finally surrendered and a great cheer rose from the city as people ran outside to celebrate. They hugged each other and laughed and shouted the news for everyone to hear. Elves threw fireworks in the air using magic, an assortment of colors filling the sky. Shouts of wonder came from the people who watched the spectacle.

Roran laughed as he watched his children run and play together, without fighting, as if the experience they had shared together had made their relationship stronger and has deepened the ties between them. Garrow yelled at the top of his lungs as Ismira ran away. Katrina looked at the children with delight, the epitomy of beauty, for Roran. She had a proud look on her face, and Roran smiled, nodding his head. It would be some time but everything would be fine.

Around him, everywhere people were dancing, kissing, hugging each other, enjoying the moment, celebrating the fact that they were alive after a war that had taken so many lives.

Tables emptied from food and barrels of ale and beer were served, and emptied, everyone drinking until they could walk no more.

People played cards, or made betting games, another group of people started singing a wild drinking song, before the others made them stop.

There was a man who breathed fire from his mouth, something Roran had never seen before. He looked at the man with wonder and astonishment. Another man was throwing balls in the air and catching them, putting more and more balls until the eyes could not distinguish them.

He watched as Alarik made a vain attempt to dance with a beautiful woman. He spat his wine laughing. He had never seen a worse attempt at dancing.

"And why are you laughing? You think you can dance better than me? Prove it then, Stronghammer!" Alarik said, with a loud voice and a wink.

"That would be my pleasure." Roran answered, extending his hand to Katrina, as she grabbed it with a laugh.

On a green hill, somewhat far from the noise of dancing and drinking celebrations of the city, the riders and dragons gathered, a small group mourning for the loss, of a friend, a family member. A small marble tomb had been created for the hero of the battle of Belatona. The riders and dragons had helped in its creation with the use of magic. Gregobak lied in there, his expression peaceful.

"It is time to say our goodbye to a great friend and brother." Eragon stated.

One by one, the riders and dragons came to say their final goodbye to Gregorbak. First Alaina knelt near the tomb, and Salador held her from the shoulder, with tears on his eyes. Thrain looked at the tomb, a thoughtful and sad expression on his face. The three dragons hummed an ever increasing tune, making the ground tremble and a breeze of air started to gather at the spot. Finally, Felangoud, Gregorbak's dragon joined the tune, and at that instant a small flash escaped the tomb, as it sealed. A thick glass had been put, making Gregorbak visible on the inside, and small diamonds and precious rocks of all kinds had been put on the tomb. On his chest, his sword lied, and his hand had been placed so that the silver sign of the gedwey ignazia could be seen from afar. On the marble tomb, a small dragon in the color of Felangoud had been carved, looking life like, ready to pounce on whoever would dare take anything from the tomb. Eragon was half sure the dragon would gain life and chase them away.

Looking satisfied, Felangoud lied on the floor next to the tomb, still not willing to leave his rider. Deciding it was for the best Eragon walked towards him to comfort him, but Felangoud growled.

"I just want a few moments alone with my rider. I thank you for your concern Ebrithil." he stated.

In the top of the tallest tower of Belatona, Eragon and the other riders were sitting watching the festivities underneath. People were dancing, around a large fire, and large tables filled with food and drink had been served from the city's warehouse to celebrate the great victory of the empire over the Surdans. An elven maid sang a chilling love song that brought heat to Eragon's cheeks as thoughts of Arya entered his mind. As if in a spell, the humans and dwarves and Urgals listened to the song attentively, memorizing every word and trying to remember the lyrics. Men and women joined the dance, and even small children laughed and played jokes at the older people.

Eragon stood silent, without moving, like a statue, watching the festivities, lost in his thoughts. Beside him, Saphira was sitting, her wing around her rider, trying to comfort him. On his left side, Arya too was standing, her long black hair waving from the wind and her bright green eyes shifting from the festivities to Eragon. She was worried for him.

His eyes glued to the fire, Eragon was lost in thought. In his mind the death of Gregorbak played again and again. A chill ran down his spine. Gregorbak had sacrificed himself to save him.

A bright star shone in the sky, shedding its blue light on the world, and at that instant a red comet fell marking Gregorbak's passing from this world to the next, and his entry to the halls where songs would be forever written in his name, the hall of heroes. In the distance, Felangoud roared with all his might, one last cry to honor his rider.

Another chill ran down Eragon's spine, thinking of the great loss Felangoud was feeling at that moment. His hand unconsciously touched Saphira's neck and Saphira too moved closer to Eragon as if seeking comfort from him. He looked at Arya and Saphira, two people he could not live without, trembling at the idea of losing them.

The empire had won a great victory, but the war was not over yet. The shade Tenga had escaped. A painful memory of the last moments of Gregorbaks sacrifice entered his mind. The Shade was heading for Du Skulblaka Ramr. A great anger filled him, knowing the Shade's intentions. Somehow he needed to protect the eggs and the Riders from harm. It was his duty as the Lead Rider., but also it was more than that. Over the years of training the riders and dragons he had grown to care for his students, their desires, their goals in life. He had given his advice when they had problems they wanted to resolve, he had joked with them, had a good time with them and he respected them and loved them as if they were his family. A great sadness filled him. Gregorbak was dead because of his own mistake. He should not have charged the enemy so recklessly. He should have expected some sort of a trap from the shade.

He shook his head trying to get rid of these thoughts. There was no point blaming himself for what had occurred. He needed to move on.

"Let's go." he simply said to Saphira, running to prepare for the long journey ahead as Saphira nodded her head in agreement.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Arya asked concerned.

Eragon explained to her the situation and why he had to leave Alagaesia again, to protect the Rider City and the Dragon Eggs and future riders.

"I do not like this. Can't you stay a little while longer before you begin? Alagaesia needs you" Arya asked.

"I cannot." Eragon simply stated and there was silence.

Eragon looked at the dragons and riders behind him. He looked at Salador and Alaina, at Thrain and his dragon Sphinx, at Arget and Gadaroth and finally at Felangoud flying towards them in the distance. He pointed at the dragons with his hand, one by one.

" I have watched them grow from the moment they hatched from their eggs. I have watched their mischief, advised them, guided them through their problems. I have seen all of their strengths, helped them overcome their weaknesses and fulfill their needs. I will protect every single one of them from harm." he stated and at that statement his neck tied, thinking of Gregorbak's loss.

"I am their Father, the Father of Dragons, and they are my children. I am the Protector of the Riders and all of them are my family ". Eragon stated trying to explain.

"I understand." Arya said. "I will come with you and help you." she said with a determined voice.

"So shall we!" everyone said.

A smile appeared on Eragon's face.

"Let us begin then". he said with a loud voice.


	46. Chapter 46: New Leaders of Alagaesia

Eragon woke up from his waking dreams startled. Lately he had bad dreams of the eggs and dragons and the people he cared for, being harmed in different ways. In this particular dream he saw that he somehow lost to the shade in the upcoming battle and that Tenga had spread death and destruction across Alagaesia. With deep breaths he managed to calm his racing heart. He would never let that happen to the people he loved. He felt Saphira stretching beneath him as she flew. At times he was so focussed on his thoughts he forgot he was flying until Saphira moved.

"Good morning little one. I tried to help you in your dreams but you put powerful walls around your mind" Saphira said affectionately.

"I did it unconsciously" Eragon replied apologizing.

Of all the beings in the world, there was only one being who shared his mind. She was a part of his being, his mind, his life and he was a part of her, no deeper connection existing in the world. They were there to help each other no matter the danger.

For days after the surrender of Surda the Empire was a hive of activity, one announcement following the next until one could barely follow the flow of politics. First, Eragon had helped to convince the other leaders that Roran was the best choice to be King of the Empire and make the announcement. He had met with all the leaders of the races, Arya and Orik agreeing immediately. Orik had laughed loud, congratulating Roran and lifting his beer, making a toast to a long life for the new king. Leaving aside his position as king of the dwarves, he started to sing and dance, making everyone dance alongside him. A sad smile appeared on Eragon's face. He would miss his dwarven brother.

The announcement had been greeted with delight by the soldiers that had been led by Roran, a wave of cheering and shouting Roran's name following the announcement. However, it had also caused a lot of negative reactions from many noble houses who would have preferred for someone of noble blood to get the throne. Eragon did not trust any of the nobles, and had cast a number of incantations all over the castle, made to protect his brother from any would be assassin. Already there had been an announcement of a rebellion but he was sure that Roran and his new commander of the army, Alarik could handle it without his help. Plans for a way for all the races to live together had been made, but that would be a very slow process, perhaps not even Eragon and the elves would see it in their lifetime. Still a positive step had been made, by accepting the Urgals who had helped them defeat Surda, and proclaiming Gregorbak a hero of the war.

Surda had stopped existing as a separate country, but there would still be difficulties for the people of the Empire and Surda to live together.

Roran had been so busy and tired that he barely had time to spit and Katrina was there, beside him always helping and always trying to find better solutions or better ways to handle Roran's ideas for the future. A big feast had been ordered the night before they left and Eragon and Saphira had ate their share of meat and drank so much beer and ale and Faelnirv Eragon had sworn to never drink again. He had spent his night dancing with Arya and talking to her and kissing her.

The dwarves and elves had left for their homes, and once again the humans had been left to rule their kingdom. Orik had had problems with the dwarven clans complaining about their help in the human wars. However, the biggest problem had been in Ellesmera.

Once they had begun their trip towards Ellesmera, they had learned that a group of elves had caused a rebellion in Ellesmera against Arya's rule. They were unhappy with the current leader and they had demanded a new elven ruler. Redwin the elven lord had proclaimed himself as a proper candidate for the elven throne. He was against helping humans and the other races in their wars and wanted the elves to concentrate their policies in maintaining their power in Du Weldenvarden, not having any contact with the outside world. After a long night of thinking, Arya had abdicated the throne, for it was clear that the elves did not want her as a Queen. She had helped Vanir, the elen lord and with her support and his popularity, he had won over Redwin in the election. Vanir was the new king of the elves. Eragon smiled at the thought. He had once been just like Lord Redwin, very closed towards the other races, but eventually after sparring with Eragon and understanding the power of the riders and dragons, and looking at the world as a soldier of the elves, he had changed his mind. He was now one of the stronger supporters of the riders and Dragons and a very good friend with all the other races.

His eyes turned towards the land below. The day before they had crossed the borders of Alagaesia, and every mile that they passed made Eragon more impatient to be done with the battle and all battles and finally be able to live in peace. Always there was something dragging him to battles and war. Everyday he practiced the compendiums he had found in Tengas tower with Arya and he discovered new things he had not known before about magic. Still, he had not mastered the time spell and that made him more and more frustrated with it. He knew it was his greatest weapon but he still could not use it.

Here and there they saw signs that Tenga had passed from the lands below, with a force of soldiers. The river they had followed, while travelling with the Talita was below them, its waters roaring.

He grabbed Brisingr and once again stored energy in the gem of its pommel. He looked around, first at Arya, her black hair waving behind her as she rode on Firnen. On his other side, Salador and Alaina were flying on their dragons having a conversation and laughing. He was glad the two of them were getting so close and for their happiness. He wished them the best of luck.

Behind them, Thrain was talking to his dragon Sphinx, and Felanfoud was flying alone, silent.

He wanted to comfort the young dragon but it was probably best to leave him alone. With a sigh, he turned away and focussed on his magic spells.

*****  
Salador looked at Alaina and admired her beauty once more, his favorite way to pass the time in the long journey, as well as sword fighting during their short breaks.

"Not again!." Gadaroth said complaining and shutted him off his mind. Salador laughed guiltily producing a short growl from Gadaroth. It was not his fault Gadaroth peeked in his more private thoughts. Alaina looked at him with a questioning look and Salador lifted his shoulders with a wink which produced a smile on Alaina's face. He was glad for that. His mind went back to the previous day when they had kissed for the first time and since then he had been trying to steal kisses from her whenever possible, much to the displeasure of Gadaroth who preferred when they went flying together or hunting.

As usual his breath caught when Alaina talked to him and his heart raced when he looked at her. He was used to it by now, but it always caught him by surprise how hard it was to talk to her. He needed to fight his shyness first before he could utter a word. Angry with himself he mentally berated himself. "How hard can it be?". It proved harder than he thought.

Gadaroth laughed mentally with his struggles. "If you were that afraid in battle I'd have to protect you like a hatchling from..." he managed to say before Salador blocked him.

"It's a beautiful view." he finally said awkwardly, pointing at the crystal clear waters of the river as they marked the green valley below them, which was full of trees and life. He did not know what else to say to start the conversation.

"I like it. It reminds me of Ellesmera and our homeland." Alaina replied, instantly with a smile.

Salador smiled in return, a sad smile. "Do you think we will ever see it again?" he asked.

"Of course we will." Alaina answered looking at him with her beautiful blue eyes.

"I just wish we had more time to rest." Salador said stretching his back and yawning.

"I agree. Some time off from the war would be nice, visiting a few cities, bathing in the sea..." she said looking at Salador.

He coughed not expecting to hear that and Alaina laughed. "What? What did I say?" she asked.

"Nothing... I'd love to do that. It's all." he said with a smile.

*****  
Sphinx was flying behind the other dragons looking at Felangoud. The purple dragon was flying alone, silent still mourning for the loss of his rider and there was nothing she could do to help in his misery. It was painful to even think of losing her rider and she could not even imagine how Felangoud felt. She felt Thrain shift uneasily in his seat, no doubt having the same thoughts as she did.  
"I cant wait for this trip to be over, my back hurts" Thrain complained.  
Sphinx laughed in response. "I thought you liked flying with me." She teased.  
"Of course." Thrain said grumbling something under his breath.

"Do you think Tenga will have reached the city when we arrive?" he asked uneasily. He was still uncertain about facing a shade in battle.

"Most probably." Sphinx answered and with renewed energy she sprinted as if the extra speed would gain them more than a few minutes.

Thrain looked thoughtful as he touched the edge of his sharp sword, thinking of the upcoming battle. Du Skulblaka Ram was his home for ten years and he did not like anyone entering it uninvited. He felt safe there but now, with the shade creating carnage and death in the Dragon city it would no longer be safe until Tenga was dead.

He thought of Gregorbak, his Urgal friend. Tears came on his eyes as he realized he would never see him alive again but he would cherish the moments they spent together in his heart.

Let's get this over with" he said and Sphinx flew faster.

All the dragons had reached their limits in terms of speed, trying to get to Du Skulblaka Ramr before Tenga. Saphira roared a challenge and the dragons followed her example, the roars echoing in the quiet valley, as they left one mile after the other behind them.


	47. Chapter 47: Father of Dragons

A large city nestled in a small valley between two tall mountains marked the location of the Dragon City called Du Skulblaka Ramr. A large river passed between the two mountains, creating a position that was easily defensible for the city as it was guarded by the mountains. The land was fertile, and many large and small trees grew near the river. The snow covered peaks of the two tall mountains were a bright contrast to the sunny day and the green valley below the mountains. Tall white walls and buildings could be seen but the most impressive was the tower that lied only a few kilometers away from them. The tower was huge, as if growing from the ground up, its white walls shining from the sunlight and aiming for the sky above.

Tenga and his army approached, with steady steps to the dragon city war drums echoing in the quiet valley as the banners of the shade were lifted.

"Who goes there?!" a voice magnified by magic sounded.

Tenga laughed in response. "I am your killer." he shouted in response. "Lay down your weapons and save yourselves!"

"I'm afraid my manners don't allow that shade. But it would be a pleasure to meet yo in battle." the voice shouted again.

"Very well." Tenga replied as he gave the command for the soldiers to charge.

Arrows flew from the tower, killing a few of the soldiers that were untouchable by magic. An arrow flew towards his heart, aimed by magic. With his sword he blocked the arrow. Tenga would make the riders and dragons pay and there was no one who could prevent that from happening.

"Burn everything to the ground! I want no survivors!" Tenga shouted.

Yasmira defended the tower with all her strength. Spell after spell escaped her mouth, but the soldiers were not affected by magic directly. She was slowly destroying the tower she needed to defend to fend off the attackers. With a spell she broke a large piece of the ceiling which fell on five of the soldiers killing them. Another spell pt fire on the wooden floor, burning the soldiers who tried to enter the room she was in.

She fought with her sword alongside the other defenders as they slowly fell one by one, by the numerous enemy soldiers. Despite having many elves in the defense of the city they only had a speed advantage against their enemies She lost count of the kills as hours passed fighting.

An arrow pierced her shoulder and she fell on the floor for a few seconds before a hand lifted her.

"We need to go or we will all be cooked alive!" a man said and lifted her on his shoulders.

"No let me go!" Yasmira shouted but the man was right. Already thick black smoke entered the room and fires had been lit everywhere.

The tower had fallen, and with it most of the defenders of the city.

It had been harder than Tenga had imagined to take over the tower and the city. Even he did not expect the hard resistance of the few people in the city, and the many magical traps that had been carefully been placed inside the city. The keep had fallen with difficulty, many of the city's defenders had defended it to their last breath. Finally, Tenga had burned the tall white tower, its walls blackening from the fire and the smoke. In a way it reminded him of the fire on Edur Ithindra, which had been Tenga's home for so many years. His revenge had started with a tower on fire and ended with another. It was fitting in a way.

They broke the gates, which had taken the better part of a day, and the soldiers had ran inside the city. Once the shade had found what he was looking for he had ordered his troops to march towards the building where the eggs were being held. The door had been protected by a clever spell. Once he had tried to touch it with magic, a strorm of small sharp pieces of iron had started, killing many of the soldiers around him, and almost killing him too. He had broken down the door, but there were always more ingenious traps, and more deaths for his soldiers. The few soldiers who had followed him down were scared and did not want anything to do with the cursed building they were in.

Tenga disarmed many traps and others he sent soldiers to trigger them. There was no point to save the soldiers. They were dispensible and every second that passed, meant the dragons were closer to the city.

Finally, they reached a point where the large corridor ended and a thick iron door filled with gems stopped their way.

This must be it. Tenga said.

"The dragons are here!" he heard a shout.

Tenga saw movement from his right side as an elf charged him. He easily blocked the blow with his sword.

"I told you we would meet in battle. I am Fael, and today wou will meet you end shade" the elf said and Tenga smiled, amused.

"You will die elf. Lay down your weapon." the shade said.

Instead the elf charged and Tenga blocked his sword. For many minutes they fought, Tenga giving him no quarter. The elf was fast with his sword, but not as good as Tenga was. Finally he stabbed the elf.

With a strong movement of his arm, he withdrew his sword from Fael's corpse. The elf had been troublesome ever since he came to the Dragon city.

Tenga laughed ecstatically. Soon he wold take his revenge on the dragons and riders. For hours he tried to break the door down.

Spell after spell escaped his mind, for there was no reason for him to use the ancient language to create spells, trying to find an opening to break the door but the rider who had made the entrance had thought of every spell that came to his mind.

"Charge! For the Order!" Salador shouted as Gadaroth flew and spat a wave of yellow fire on the soldiers below, cooking many of them in their armor.

Behind him, Alaina and Arget did the same, as well as Thrain and Sphinx. Eragon and Saphira flew immediately towards the eggs, to protect them from Tenga who was already inside the keep.

Soldiers threw arrows with their bows, but they were useless against the defenses of the dragons. Dragon fire too, did not do as much damage for it was a form of magic and many of the soldiers were not affected by it.

Salador jumped off Gadaroth's back and unsheathed his sword. It would be another bloody day, but it would be a day to remember. That was for sure. He charged with his yellow sword, like a yellow lightning in the darkness of a storm, his sword crashing on shields and armors, like a thunder.

Alaina charged after him, her silver sword in hand, protecting Salador and herself. Together they were unstoppable.

Thrain went from the opposite side, in an attempt to charge at the flanks of the soldiers and break their morale. Many broke and ran away in fear, but the lines held, despite the onslaught. Perhaps it was the fear of losing or perhaps it was their fear for Tenga and what he would do to the soldiers if they lost.

Arya and Firnen flew above them, they too heading for the keep, but they were stopped by many javelins being thrown their way. Large arrows were thrown and Firnen was forced to make air maneuvers to escape them. If they wanted to help Eragon against Tenga, first they needed to get rid of these men and the army below.

The dragons came closer and closer. There was not enough time for him to break the door that led to the chamber of the eggs. With a yell of frustration Tenga turned around.

With a roar, Saphira landed near Tenga and Eragon jumped on the floor.

"We meet for the last time, Rider. Prepare to meet your end!" Tenga shouted and charged.

Eragon and Tenga fought, their swords clashing. Blue sparkles flew in the air as Brisingr and the shade's magical sword hit each other. Blue flames engulfed Brisingr as Eragon attacked the shade, trying to find an opening. Savage blows were exchanged from both sides, blows that would kill an ordinary man in only a few seconds. Eragon charged once again and was blocked from Tenga. With superhuman speed he spun his sword the other way and managed to cut Tenga.

Tenga was angered and charged, forcing Eragon to move backwards. He could hear the other riders and dragons fighting the soldiers Tenga had brought with him, shouts of battle and roars from dragons.

Distracted as he was, Tenga stabbed him once on the leg, preventing him from moving his leg easily, which made him more susceptible to injuries. For a long time they sparred, one injuring the other, for they were equal in their sword fighting abilities. None could gain an advantage over the other.

A group of soldiers ran towards Eragon and surrounded the two fighting figures. Eragon was forced to fight a few of them, losing sight of Tenga for a little while.

He suddenly saw Tenga's sword, and he ducked, his head barely avoiding the shade's sword.

A roar sounded and Saphira charged.

Saphira landed on Tenga, biting him with her fierce teeth, kicking him with her strong legs and hitting him with her massive tail every blow aimed to kill. Tenga danced, trying to avoid the blows, but a few of them got him, and a slam of Saphira's tail sent him flying in the sky.

Tenga charged and with a loud yell Tenga swung his sword cutting through Saphira's left wing. Saphira roared in pain, and blood spilled the floor. Another blow landed near Saphira's chest.

"Die dragon!" Tenga shouted as Saphira fell on the ground.

"Saphira!" he shouted with all his strength. "Saphira no!" he shouted again, as Tenga laughed maniacally.

"So weak! You are all so weak and petty!" he said and laughed again, his laugh echoing in the city.

Eragon felt his heart racing, he felt an incredible anger towards the shade He did not know if Saphira was alive or dead. She must be alive! he told himself. But what if she was dead? What would he do? He screamed, a sound from another world, as if both he and Saphira were roaring.

Seven words escaped his mouth, seven words Brom had taught him before he died and he had told him never to use them. Energy filled him from the eldunarya, more energy than he had ever absorbed from them. A river of unstoppable energy filled his head. He felt pain, incredible pain in his left arm, coming from Saphira, as if it had been cut off. His head started spinning and his vision became blacker, but he could still see the golden river of energy in his mind, forming a figure. A large figure that slowly took the shape of a large dragon,. the largest he had seen. With one last effort he released it as he ran towards the shade with all his speed. He ran and it was as if he had transformed himself into a dragon. Fear filled Tenga's eyes.

Determined he shouted one final word. A final spell that would kill the shade once and for all.

Time almost stopped, as he saw Tenga move, slightly, ever so slightly to block his blade, but he could not move more than a few inches every second. There was nothing the Shade could do. Faster than lightning, faster than the eye could see he charged, Brisingr roaring flames in his hand as he came closer to the shade and lifted his sword. He stabbed the shade in the heart, with all his might, Brisingr entering the shades body to the hilt.

Another otherwordly scream filled the air, only this time it was from Tenga. He saw his face slowly blacken, his red eyes reflecting the vast hate he had for the dragons and riders that was like a large ocean. The shade screamed one more time and a large explosion lifted Eragon and slammed him on the wall.

He felt pain all over his body, as if many of his bones had been broken. He tasted blood in his mouth. His wards had been destroyed. He saw the vast space and Saphira's unmoving body. She was quickly slipping from his mind. Tenga was dead and the dragons and riders were at last free of this threat. Everything slowly went black but at least he knew that he had fought for the Dragons to be free, to protect them from harm and for the love that he had for them, and for his students. He had fought for the dragons and riders as a true leader. As a true father should have.

A Father of Dragons.


	48. Chapter 48: A New Order

Silence ruled over the city of Du Skulblaka Ramr. Only the sound of the birds chirping and the occasional gust of wind broke it's rule. Smoke rose from a few of the buildings and the few defenders that remained looked on in silence and agony towards the keep's garden, where Saphira Bjartskular and Eragon had been transported. Dragons and riders were guarding them like statues, unmoving.

Eragon had been healed of his wounds by Arya who had found him laying on the floor. Immediately, Eragon lifted himself and ran towards Saphira, shouting her name in agony. He saw Saphira unconscious, and in a pool of blood. He saw the grievous wound and tears filled his eyes. Her wing had almost been sliced off, and it would take a true miracle to be able to heal it.

"Eragon..." Arya managed to say but Eragon was already examining the wound closely. He was about to make a complicated healing spell and he did not want under any circumstances to make a mistake. He had a determined look on his face as he prepared the spell. In a moment, all his studies about the anatomy of dragons, and healing came to his mind. He searched through his memories one by one, selecting the elements that would help him in creating the spell.

He felt his heart race, his hand trembled from the anxiety. Every minute counted, as Saphira was losing more blood. He opened his mind to the eldunarya and told them of his situation and asked them for advice. Few of the Eldunarya knew anything more than him about healing, but with their contributions the final spell was changed a bit to make it work better.

"We wish you the best of luck Shadeslayer." Umaroth said.

"I thank you for your support, Umaroth." Eragon said anxious to put the pleasantries at an end and begin to heal Saphira.

Eragon began to sing, his voice steady and powerful as he used the power from his own body but also from the eldunarya. Saphira had began to shiver with cold and her pulse had slowed. Bones and muscles and nerves were connected once again, as Eragon began to heal the damage that had been caused by Tenga's sword and tried to slow the blood loss. He dragged each word of the spell trying to think of the next step, making sure that he had not forgotten any crucial detail. Arya began to sing with him and so did the other riders, aiding him in his healing as they added their strength to his own. He guided the river of energy in his mind, trying to contain it.

Many hours passed when at last, Eragon stopped singing, looking at his work. The wing looked whole again, as if the wound had never existed but it would take time for it to grow strong again, and even if it did, it would be doubtful that Saphira would be able to fly for long distances, especially with his weight on top of her. He looked once again at the sleeping form of his dragon and felt her pulse with his mind. With his hand, he petted Saphira, and looked at the beautiful blue scales, admiring her beauty. The pain in his hand was gone, meaning that Saphira was no longer in pain. She was out of danger finally. He took a deep breath and lowered himself on the ground. As he lied down near his dragon the words of Angela came to his mind and he laughed a bitter laugh.

_"You will leave Alagaesia and never return."_ she had said. If only he had known the reason that would happen before the battle with Tenga. Slowly as he mulled over the words and what they meant, his eyelids closed and for once, he slept as he used to do before his transformation.

Arya looked at Eragon and Saphira sleeping. He had just sung one of the most complicated healing spells she had heard. She was amazed by the power it took to heal Saphira, as many of the smaller Eldunarya had entirely spent their energy but also at the transformation that Eragon had. He was now wiser and stronger than he had been after the death of Galbatorix and she loved him with all her heart.

She remained there, looking at Eragon and Saphira, even as Firnen joined her.

"Little one, wake up!" Saphira told Eragon the next day, seeming energetic.

"Good Morning Saphira! How are you feeling?" Eragon asked with a smile.

"I'm fine, little one. We did it! We killed Tenga and the war is finally over!." Saphira stated with a loud voice and a laugh.

Eragon hugged her.

"I'm glad I didn't lose you Saphira." he said.

"Me too little one...Me too." Saphira replied.

Eragon saw Arya as she came towards him with a big smile.

"Eragon! I have news." she said as she came running towards him.

"What is it Arya?" Eragon asked with curiosity written on his face.

Arya came closer and whispered something in Eragon's ear.

"What? Are you serious? I'm going to be a father! You're with child!" he shouted as he lifted her and turned her around. They laughed together.

"Two in fact." Arya said and Eragon laughed again, feeling like the luckiest person in the world.

Saphira roared her approval and flew in the air, but was forced to land a few seconds later. Eragon felt the familiar pain in his hand. He felt a great sadness in his mind, as if Saphira had not understood the gravity of her injury until that moment.

"Let's all go celebrate!" he said determined not to let Saphira mull over her weakness.

Salador heard the commotion and learned the news from Eragon. He was going to be a father. He smiled, and congratulated him. His mind searched for Alaina, the woman he loved. Time was running out, she would soon fly to Ellesmera and who knew when they would meet again. He found her in a secluded spot, her mind was open to the environment around her, observing the life of the valley. Salador also liked to observe the life around him, as Eragon had taught him. It made him calm and gave him peace from his problems. Not wanting to disturb Alaina, he sat next to her, aware that she would know his thoughts as he opened his mind to her.

He felt a closeness to her, and his heart started beating fast, as it always did when she was near. He smelled her scent, filling his lungs with it.

"Salador, it is good to see you." Alaina said finally after a few minutes.

"It's always a pleasure to talk to you Alaina." Salador replied.

"I wanted to discuss something with you..." he said and stopped not knowing how to proceed.

Alaina looked at him, a knowing smile appearing on her face.

"Alaina... you are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with, ever since I first saw you I liked you and after all the discussions we have had, and the time we have passed together I am beginning to understand that I do not just like you. My feelings are deeper than that. I love you Alaina, and I do not know if I can live without you. My heart races when you are near, like a drum in the Dragon Eggs Festival we have every year." he said and laughed loud. After a short pause to gather his thoughts he continued, as he looked at the eyes of the woman he loved.

"When I look in your eyes, I feel like I am looking at all the wisdom of the world. I do everything in my power to make you smile, and happy or gain your approval and be with you.

"I do not want to lose you Alaina. You mean everything to me." he said.

For a few seconds Alaina continued looking at Salador. When he was sure he had made a complete fool of himself Alaina answered.

"I love you too Salador. If only you knew how much." she said and she kissed him. Again and again they kissed, unable to hide their passion for one another.

In the distance Gadaroth roared in triumph, celebrating his rider's love as he flew in the sky, his yellow color radiating like a second sun.

Eragon looked from his keep at the city below him. It had been a few weeks since the attack and the city had been repaired completely. Arya stood besides him as they saw Saphira and Firnen fly in the air. Saphira was doing better, but she was still too weak to fly for a long time. Every now and then he felt a pain in his arm, knowing that it came from Saphira's healed wing.

Three more dragons and riders flew in the distance, and a fourth dragon soon joined them. Felangoud was beginning to open to the world again, which was a good thing for the young dragon, despite his rider's death. Salador and Alaina had been enjoying each other's company. Eragon smiled, happy that they could live their happiness together. Thrain had busied himself with making new swords for the new rider order.

Blodgharm and a few other elves had been sent around Alagaesia with dragon eggs to search for new dragon riders. The order needed to grow and he needed to teach more dragons and riders. It was his responsibility as Lead Rider.

Roran was doing well in Alagaesia. He had managed to stop the rebellions with the help of Alarik and was enjoying his time with Katrina and his children. King Orik was ruling the dwarves without problems, and King Vanir of the elves had made a good start in his rule, by quenching the voices of the separatist elves. He hoped that Alagaesia could heal of its many wounds, and that the different races could live with each other eventually but there were other things that needed his attention, such as exploring the land beyond the Dragon city.

Overall, he felt excited for the future, and for the new dragon order. But most of all he felt thrilled for his opportunity to be a father, the opportunity to raise children of his own, and amazed by the fact that a beautiful and wise woman such as Arya loved him. He looked at her growing belly and a sense of love filled him to the brim.

"I love you so much Arya!" he said and kissed her.

"I love you too Eragon." she said laughing.

Once again they kissed, their lips touching over and over, until they forgot everything and everyone else, two lovers who celebrated their love with a kiss.


End file.
